Bonus

[sunflower71]

Every year we get a christmas bonus.
This year we did not.
one of my colleauges says that they have to give us one since they have done so each year and its part of our conditons (its not in any of our contracts)
I think he is talking rubbish as a bonus is a bonus and not part of our pay.
what do you think?

[buildersmate]

He's presuming its become a custom and practice part of your employment. I (like you) doubt it. Wish him well on his way into HR to ask about it.

[Buenchico]

If this question had related to the type of bonuses received by senior employees in major financial companies within the City of London, there might be an argument for stating that 'custom & practice' forms part of an employees contract. (People working in those types of jobs know that all of the big companies pay annual bonuses, based on the company's performance, which can sometimes run into hundreds of thousands of pounds. If an employer suddenly withdrew these bonuses, their employees could argue that there had always been an 'implied contract' that they should receive them).

However, ordinary Christmas bonuses (where they exist) are simply a gift from the employer. If your Aunt Edna decides not to give you a Christmas present (even though she's done so for the past 50 years), you've got no right to demand one from her. Exactly the same position applies when your employer decides not to give you a gift.

Chris