My employer incentivized all of the developers on my team obtaining a certification and offered a set salary increase upon completion. After months of personal self study I am ready to take the proctored exam they are walking it back and saying it’s not in the budget, but will be taken into consideration during reviews (next June). I have a baby on the way and already had planned for the salary bump. They will be reimbursing for the exam, but I’m wondering if I should just pay for it myself now? When I get the certification, I don’t want to include it in my email signature (that’s what they want) because it makes me feel like I just spent a bunch of personal time getting a certification with nothing to show for it. Is that petty of me?