I work for a large sized company that is outsourced by other companies. Since May of this year, over 75% of my account has been laid off and in the last 2 months, I have had a meeting every week with news of “So and So is now laid off.” Morale is at an all time low to say the least.
I’ve worked for this company for over a year and a half. Six months into working for them, I received a raise (not a big raise, but a 50 cent increase from my originally established hourly pay). My boss at the time told me “you won’t notice a huge increase at first, but you will after some time.” I took their word for it (stupidly) and just continued on. However, 5 months later after looking at my paychecks in depth, I realize that I never received my pay raise I was promised and to make matters worse, the boss who gave me a raise had left the company.
I decided to reach out to someone higher up and they originally told me “oh no! So sorry! This was a mistake on our part, I have a sheet that says you do in fact qualify for that raise. Let me sort things out and I’ll get back to you next week.”
A week goes by and I have a meeting where the higher up tells me that “This was a mistake on our part, but it turns out you did not actually qualify for that raise during that time period. We’re SO sorry but we can’t do anything for you. How does a day off or a gift card sound?” This was upsetting, of course, but I asked them if I qualify for it now and they said no, they can’t give it to me now but maybe next year after “a review.”
To say I was upset is an understatement. This felt like a huge kick in the face and like there was no effort to mitigate their mistake. I mean, yeah a day off is nice, but we’re talking about hundreds of dollars I was promised originally and never received.
Since this has happened, I’ve been moved to a different department with more responsibility and that is more difficult without receiving any pay raise . Now, after doing the new position for several months with a high rate of success and praise from higher ups/execs from our client, they have asked me to move again (with no promise of higher pay or anything else). Honestly, I am at my wits ends and frankly, I don’t want to take on another position without more pay. Especially when lay offs are happening left and right. My fear is that when/if they offer me a raise, it will be the same as the raise I was previously promised.
So here is my question: is it inappropriate for me to tell my boss that I no longer wish to take on another position unless I am financially compensated more? Yes, the experience is appreciated and will be helpful in the future for resume building and other jobs, but it doesn’t sit right with me learning new softwares, interfaces, and tasks without some reward other than “experience” or “good job kiddo!”
Any help or insight would be appreciated.
INFO: I have a bachelors degree and this is my second job since being out of college.