Sharing a recruitment bonus

DeeKie

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I introduced a colleague to my employer and will receive a recruitment bonus. I had lunch with the new recruit today who suggested, as an aside, that a mutual friend said that I should be sharing the money with her. I had already said I’d buy her dinner.

Is it normal to share recruitment bonuses like this? I made an initial introduction, as she was desperately unhappy where she was, but after that did very little. I said to her I would stay out of it as I did not want to influence her one way or another.

Now I’m worried there is some norm that I don’t know about in term for giving her some of the bonus. It will be about 2,000 net I think.
 
Thanks. That’s what I thought, but then I felt really uncomfortable as perhaps there is a custom and practice that I was not aware of. I haven’t earned this bonus before.
 
This 'mutual friend' sounds helpful.... In my opinion this is the sort of gesture which if generously offered might then be graciously accepted.

To expect it as some sort of automatic entitlement would not sit well with me.

She had a very short memory with respect to the 'desperately unhappy' role she was in didn't she?

- Maybe you could withdraw your previous recommendations and the company might just let her go..... ;)

I'd work around the awkwardness of the dinner invitation by leaving a bag of chips on her desk and then finish the process by sending her a postcard from somewhere sunny once you've converted the bonus to a nice holiday.
 
Are you actually going to get 2000 or is that the gross figure?
I don't know if these are taxed. Just watch out for that.

It's not the normal thing, if it is I'd be quite upset as I'm owed a few hundred euros bounty from the person who recommended me for the last company I joined!

I think dinner is a nice touch but sounds like it could be awkward now...
 
Seems to be a case of eejits x 2 alright...the mutual friend and the candidate. Pretty shameless to throw it out there without sense checking it first. You’d have more respect for someone who researched it first (e.g. if the OP was the candidate and checking out what’s reasonable).
 
Yes it is awkward now. What was supposed to be a nice generous gesture feels cheap. She’s the sort that won’t forget about the invite though, so I will go through with it. Sigh.
 
That is completely unfair of her to put you in that position. The bonus is to you from your employer, it has nothing to do with her. Furthermore - you will be taxed on it (I am assuming it is cash) - you pay the tax she grabs a tax-free benefit? No dice. A polite no is the only logical way to go, you are under no obligation to pay her for you assisting her in getting a job.
 
Are you actually going to get 2000 or is that the gross figure?
I don't know if these are taxed. Just watch out for that.

It's not the normal thing, if it is I'd be quite upset as I'm owed a few hundred euros bounty from the person who recommended me for the last company I joined!

I think dinner is a nice touch but sounds like it could be awkward now...
They are taxed fully.
 
Thanks all. I don’t intend to offer anything bar to take her for dinner based on your responses. I just wanted to sense check it myself and you have all confirmed my own view.
 
Tell your new colleague she can have a bonus all to herself -- by recruiting someone else. That's how it works. Outrageous to suggest you should be sharing yours. You did her a favour and she wants to be paid for it? Nuts!
 
Ill go against the grain and say it depends on whether you value the friendship or the money more.

If I were him/her and found out later that the friend who recommended the role received that much cash, I’d be very suspicious of their motives.

If I were you and introduced him or her in good faith then I’d definitely offer to split the bonus with them - to demonstrate my bona fides. And if it didn’t work out for them later on then I wouldn’t feel responsible for bringing them into the company.
 
Ill go against the grain and say it depends on whether you value the friendship or the money more.

If I were him/her and found out later that the friend who recommended the role received that much cash, I’d be very suspicious of their motives.

.

suspicious of their motives? in what way exactly?
 
That the person recommending I change jobs to the place they worked was overselling the company just to get the money.
 
Noted. She was very unhappy in her last place. I offered to set up a coffee with a senior person, before doing so I told her about the downsides of the organisation as I knew that they would sell her the positives, so I have no qualms about inducements or transparency. I then kept out of the considerable recruitment process so I’ve no qualms on my role. Bonuses for recruitment are in all organisations in this industry so she’d have known that I’d get one.
 
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