The January 2009 BR Club

yellowmonkey

Hi DON

For peace of mind I would say something. I got just under £1200 bonus last month and am expecting a few questions when the OR gets in touch as to what I have done with it. Some of it was for fees and the rest I have put by for unexpected costs like car problems, Car insurance etc.

As you say your car is due service etc so I cant see him taking it really as you will have to find the money from somewhere to pay for this and ,perhaps, you do not have enough put by due to the recent date of your BR you have not built up an emergency fund yet IYKWIM

Hope you get to keep it

ym

startagain_2

Donna,

My way of thinking is that even though it is hubby's car - you need it for trips out, shopping and family stuff. Definitely use the service and MOT issue to spend your bonus before you even get it?
Tell the truth - it would be a very hard hearted person that takes it off you.
Hi everyone, by the way!!
SA

yellowmonkey

Hi :wave: :wave:

ym

DON79

Hi everyone! I am very depressed now. Have just called my OR and they want the bonus.

All I said was that I was expecting a bonus in the sum of £500 approx in this months wages and what would happen. I spoke to the examiner who very shortly said it would be an asset in BR and I should send them a cheque for it once I received it.

I am gutted. I hoped they would at least let me keep a little of it. Is this worth any kind of appeal?

I am very upset now.

I wish now I had not said a thing but then I know that would have been dishonest too.

startagain_2

DON79 wrote: »

Hi everyone! I am very depressed now. Have just called my OR and they want the bonus.

All I said was that I was expecting a bonus in the sum of £500 approx in this months wages and what would happen. I spoke to the examiner who very shortly said it would be an asset in BR and I should send them a cheque for it once I received it.

I am gutted. I hoped they would at least let me keep a little of it. Is this worth any kind of appeal?

I am very upset now.

I wish now I had not said a thing but then I know that would have been dishonest too.

Donna,

That's awful - I am so sorry.... it just goes to show how these OR offices vary from one to the other. Are you sure that there is nothing you can use to offset it at all?

I don't suppose there is any way to trade it for time off or anything else they can do at source before you actually get it in your paypacket..... ?

Just thoughts off the top of my head.



SA

DON79

Hi SA, thanks but I doubt there is anything can be done really. I will draft a letter to them asking if I could perhaps keep a certain amount back to cover car mot and service and insurance costs and see what they say.

Thing is, the reason we do get this bonus is that we are actually underpaid for the job we do and the union has been fighting for ages to stop the bonus and just get our salary increased. I wonder if there is any kind of statement that the union could make on my behalf regarding this.

I can't swap it for holidays or anything like that.


Am so depressed.

yellowmonkey

Sorry to hear that DON.

Dont really have any suggestions apart from £500 seems a cheap price to pay for being debt free. Not that it will help you much now at the moment . As SA says can you not try to offset it somehow.

Had a bit of bad news myself today. OH had a bit of an abnormal test and is awaiting results. Had this 2 years ago and thought it was all done.

Sorry to go off topic there

ym

startagain_2

OK, but just look at it like it is a challenge.... see what the union says and see if they can give you something in writing to say that is to compensate your earnings (did you tell the OR that?)
Who did you speak to at the OR office, a proper knowledgable person or one of the clerks who have been known to get things wrong from time to time.
Keep trying, it is worth persevering.

SA

startagain_2

yellowmonkey wrote: »

Sorry to hear that DON.

Dont really have any suggestions apart from £500 seems a cheap price to pay for being debt free. Not that it will help you much now at the moment . As SA says can you not try to offset it somehow.

Had a bit of bad news myself today. OH had a bit of an abnormal test and is awaiting results. Had this 2 years ago and thought it was all done.

Sorry to go off topic there

ym

Sorry to hear that ym... best wishes to you both.

SA

yellowmonkey

Thanks SA did not really mean to blurt that out but its been playing on my mind

ym