Seven months ago, I decided to transition to a new company after 18 years with my previous employer. I took a $3/hr pay cut in doing so, but the new job started at $15/hr whereas my previous employer started at $12/hr for the same position. I assumed that the raises would be comparable ($0.50-$2.00/hr annually). Oh boy was I wrong.
I got my first performance review and was told that I was a rock star. My work is outstanding, I'm willing to help out anywhere and everywhere, and they can count on me to get things done. I was told that the only thing holding me back from getting into a leadership position was my attendance (I was working both jobs for six months while waiting for insurance to kick in at the new place.). Sweet. I can get that under control now that I'm only working here. No problem.
Then they tell me that since I hadn't been on for a full year that my raise was pro-rated, that I couldn't be given the top performance rating for the same reason, and thus I only qualify for a 2% raise on my $15/hr, coming to a whopping 14 cent raise. I tried talking to my boss, his boss, and my store manager about it but was told there was nothing they could do. My store manager, during our third conversation on the matter, even said that he judges leadership candidates on their decision making skills and insinuated that me asking for more than 14 cents for my raise was “reacting emotionally” to the situation instead of reacting rationally. Instead, I should focus on the leadership position and the $4/hr raise comes with, but I'm done chasing carrots on a stick.
What makes me upset about it all is the fact that I worked every day from mid-October through New Year's without a single day off between the two jobs. I had one day off a week from my new job and used that day to work a shift at my old employer in order to pay for my insurance. Not. One. Day. Off. For two and a half months. Then my “raise” is less than $300/year.
Tomorrow starts a five day vacation. I'll be putting out resumes.