The Christmas Bonus

I worked at Canon for three years and for all but my final six months was on contract. I wasn't eligible for a Christmas bonus which was fine since I knew that going in. A few weeks after my first Christmas there the phone start ringing in the office with people in other departments informing their friends that the president and vp were bringing the bonus checks around.

So they come to our department, walk right by - without acknowledging - me and the other contract guy and hand the checks out. Thirty seconds later they are gone. The others in the department start tearing the envelopes open like little kids on Christmas Day screaming that it's more than last year and now they can buy a new TV or get new snow tires or whatever.

The manager eventually got everything calmed down and he calls us both in. He knew we were both better than some of the full timers he had (and eventually we replaced two of them) and he apologized profusely that we had to be subjected to the immaturity he saw from the others. He told us if they had that much energy they could fill in for us for the rest of the day and he sent us both home. The following year - after numerous complaints from managers with a lot of contract people - the bonuses were handed out at the end of the day by the manager. As far as I know that's still the case.

When I went full time I left in September so never did a get a Christmas bonus from them. I only ever recall getting one in my working career so I am grateful for whatever I get.

 

Ah, Christmas cheer in the newspaper biz. Always a good topic. With Cox, we used to get $50 and they would make it for like $68 or whatever so it would be exactly $50 with the taxes. With Scripps, they used to order these horrendous gifts every year, like coolers or watches or sweaters or robes or whatever, all with the lovely lighthouse and the name of the paper on it. With Gannett, we get a $25 gift card to Meier. Which is fine but it seems like I'm going backwards. Now getting $25 less than I started out with at my first shop.

 

Bonus: I get to have a job.

Someone in another department got told last week they're done after the holidays. I'm sure they'll be giving 100 percent now.

 

yep, that's the way to solve it. here's a novel idea, give the freakin contract people a little something, too. assholes.

 

Yep. Commander said we could throw into the shipping container an extra duffel bag for the Afghanistan trip.

 

My last Christmas bonus from Scripps were luggage tags, that I could take to a shop across town and get my initials engraved for free.

 

In the newspaper business what management does for its employees around the holidays is spelled "bone us."

 

Our company once left us gifts wrapped on our desks.

Upon opening them, we learned that our Christmas bonuses were miniature fire extinguishers.

 

I got $500 minus taxes, which MrsExpendable quickly shopped down to $50. Happy for the bonus, but thankful just to have a job at this point.

 

This will mark my 10th Christmas in the business. I have had one "bonus" - a $10 Walmart gift card in 2001.

 

I don't think I've ever gotten a Christmas bonus.

Where I work now, the actual managers (not me) get small gifts for the management staff (me) and we usually get them some booze.

At our Christmas party, we have a gift exchange for anyone who wants to take part so no one feels left out.

 

Yeah, our Christmas party was potluck.

Never gotten a bonus, a holiday turkey or anything like that.