I work in a call center as a customer service rep. In training, we were told we would get a bonus if we referred someone to the company and they got hired. The only conditions were that they were hired and that the amount you got was based on your hours, $100 for part timers and $200 for full timers.
So I referred someone. They got hired. I should have gotten $100.
Nope.
I talked to payroll and HR and was told by both that I would get half when the person I referred had been here for 30 days and half after 90 days. I called bullsh*t on this because, whether it was their policy or not, high up people in the company had fed me a different line.
After a few days of trying to get this figured out, some dude I've never met and whose position I still don't know called me into his office. Obviously a salaried higher up. He told me the policy and asked about my experience at the company.
I was honest. I told him it was actually one of the better jobs I have had but that I wanted the money. I was expecting the money and things are hard right now. $100 means a lot to someone who is struggling to pay rent, buy food, keep gas in the car, for someone who doesn't even let themselves dream of having the family hey long for because they don't want their kids to starve.
The guy reiterated the policy and told me he couldn't change it or get around it for me, but it was important to him that the company keeps their end of every deal. So he pulled a crisp $100 from his own wallet and handed it to me. He asked me to keep quiet about it.
I get it, business is sleezy and people will do what they can to keep a well educated and confident person from spreading a bad experience around. It's a small town and my little bit of influence could make it pretty hard for these people to fill the spots they are already desperate to fill.
But geez, why are people so willing to bend over backwards for a company that would drop them at their at sign of trouble????
I won't be working here long. It's just a summer gig. I'll likely cause some issues on the way out, since they include it in their handbook that we can't discuss wages with third parties without permission and that they will fire and withhold pay if we break their trash nondisclosure agreement.