Can I do anything to get my annual pay raise after I've told the company I'm leaving in a few months?

Question

My company, which is in the UK, has an annual pay rise in April every year. This year, due to some issues, the pay rise is pushed to the end of June, but all employees will receive the the extra money pro-rated since April.

I am leaving my company this September to avoid being involved in some long term projects, and have told my boss about me quitting without making anything official yet. However because of this, I am taken off the pay review this year by HR office based on the reason that I'm leaving, even though my performance review is very good.

This means I will lose all the pro-rated raise from April to August.

I am not sure if it is common for a company to cancel an employee's pay rise if they hear that he/she is leaving in a few months, even though there is not any official notice yet, and would like to find out if there is anything I could do to get my annual pay raise for the last 4 months of my employment.

If the pay review had happened in April, I would have received the rise as I hadn't given any notice at that time.

Is there anything I could do to get my annual pay raise for the last 4 months of employment now that the company already knows I will be leaving in a few months?

Update: I have talked to my boss, he suggested that I should make a complaint to HR office and a company's manager and he will support me. However, I decide to accept this situation as it's my fault at the beginning to not keep my mouth shut. Thanks a lot for all the answers as they help me understand more about my situation.

Answer 1

I want to ask if it is common for a company to cancel employee's pay rise if they hear that he/she is leaving, even though there is not any notice yet

In my (US) company, and every (US) company I have ever worked for over the past 35 years, this is exactly what would happen under the same circumstances. Raises are not automatic, and not given out to people who won't be around.

and what I should do in this situation

It might be different for your workplace, if you have a contract, if you are unionized, etc - check your HR documents, and perhaps consult with your HR department.

You could appeal to your boss for fairness, although I suspect it is likely your boss had a hand in making it come out this way.

Answer 2

This is completely normal, and it's unfortunate that you didn't know. Most employees would quit after a salary rise is backdated, or after a bonus payment, because they know that otherwise they wouldn't get it. Employees who quit beforehand would be expected to know that they would miss out.

It seems that you have been decent and loyal and as a result have paid a penalty. But by doing so you

• have built up good will that should net you a good reference
• will be able to say at interviews for new jobs that you gave your manager extra notice about quitting so as not to jeopardize long-term projects, despite the risk that you would forgo a salary backpayment
• have behaved decently, and know that you did the right thing (and in the long term the best way to get a reputation as a trustworthy and decent person is to be a trustworthy and decent person)

I don't think you have much to gain from arguing about the loss in pay, and potentially you have a lot to lose. You did a good thing, and it cost you; sometimes it plays out that way unfortunately. It would be better to accept the situation as is and move on happily, if you can afford to.

Answer 3

The moment you told your boss that you will be leaving you let him know you were a short timer and on your way out the door. Raises are to reward good performance, and to keep you around. Since you won't be around they company doesn't feel that the increase will motivate you.

If the law, contract or collective bargaining agreement don't specify that raises are mandatory then it is not surprising that they excluded you from the process. The effort of conducting the review, if it is not required would just be a waste of time for management and HR.

Add this to the list of reasons why you don't tell your company you are leaving until you have to. They will also cancel any training that you were scheduled for, and forget about any interesting projects during the next few months.

Answer 4

Your best bet is to convince them it is in their self interest to give you a raise. The problem is, it might not be.

However, it also might be. The only time the policy of giving raises to employees who are leaving anyway actually matters is when the company knows employees are leaving. How often does this happen? Well, if employees know that telling their employer that they are leaving will means no raise, then their solution is simple - they won't tell their employer. So not giving raises to employees who are leaving soon won't save much money.

On the other hand, having significant advance notice that employees are planning on leaving is potentially worth some money. And having a reputation of treating employees well even as they are leaving the company is potentially helpful in recruiting new employees. Of course, they only get either benefit if people know this is the company policy.

So I suppose you could use the last points as an argument for getting your raise, and promise that if you get the raise you will spread the word about how well you have been treated.

I'm not very optimistic that they will spend cash now for a somewhat intangible benefit they hope to get in the future, but it's possible. Your chances are a lot better if your company perceives itself to be competing for employees.

Answer 5

As people have said you have shoot your self in the foot by telling your boss informally how ever in the UK context I would do the following

1 Raise a grievance using your companies grievance procedure – on the grounds on unfairness

The end game of this is to obtain

2 A compromise agreement to go quietly this is binding on both parties so no there should be no come back reference wise.

Answer 6

Did you ask the HR why you were taken off ? If there is no written communication and if they have done it on hearsay (congratulations on leaving a firm whose HR functions on hearsay!) I would probably be looking up local labor laws to see what circumstances justify this act by the HR.

In my experience this is sheer bad luck. There is nothing which justifies this, unless it is mentioned specifically in your contract. Pay bumps in full time employments usually are based on the past years performance. So, mathematically, you deserve the raise (as you say), and you will be working from April thru September. That means the company will benefit from your skills in the months of April thru September, for which they should indeed rightfully give you increased pay. If I were you, after looking up local labor laws/engaging unions in preliminary talks, I would have written an email to the HR asking why I was taken off the roster and why I think I should be on the roster.

Answer 7

I agree with most answers, and to avoid repeating just focus on a single nuance, that you didn't "officially" quit yet.

Imagine the situation turned, where you're the boss, and one on your team informs you about leaving few months ahead. What will you do? I would certainly engage the recruitment and replacement machine. Immediately. It's unrealistic to get people overnight, if I want someone start in September it's already late to start...

For some reason you seem to think that your announce should have been neglected until you issue it in writing. If you wanted that (say because have second thoughts), you just should have stayed silent. This is not joke material, and on professional scene such notice is taken to full effect -- only leave date and leaving detail negotiation is left behind. For all other purposes you're on the way out. Just linger for a little more while.