How does everyone feel about mandatory staff bonus contributions? Forum

(On Campus Interviews, Summer Associate positions, Firm Reviews, Tips, ...)
Forum rules
Anonymous Posting

Anonymous posting is only appropriate when you are revealing sensitive employment related information about a firm, job, etc. You may anonymously respond on topic to these threads. Unacceptable uses include: harassing another user, joking around, testing the feature, or other things that are more appropriate in the lounge.

Failure to follow these rules will get you outed, warned, or banned.
Anonymous User
Posts: 428122
Joined: Tue Aug 11, 2009 9:32 am

How does everyone feel about mandatory staff bonus contributions?

Post by Anonymous User » Mon Dec 06, 2021 2:48 pm

At my V10, every Christmas, we are strongly “encouraged” (its definitely mandatory) to give a gift of $100 per class year to the general staff bonus fund, and $100 per class year to our secretaries.

I honestly am not worried about the money, although as a mid level it’s now kind of a gripe to spend the cost of a nice weekend getaway on staff bonuses, but it’s the principle of the partnership shifting the cost of completely appropriate and well deserved Christmas bonuses onto other salaried employees, who don’t share in the profits of the business. It seems really odd - does any other industry do this?

Irritatingly, the one group of people I’d really like to give a bonus to are the people who manage the kitchen and come around picking up plates and mugs, as well as the cleaning staff - but they’re an independent contractor and not included in the distributions.

Does this bother anyone else? I’d love to take a stand and ask the partners earning several million a year to eat the cost, but the levers the pull are all about making you feel cheap.

Accordingly, Mods, please keep anon or delete if you cannot.

Anonymous User
Posts: 428122
Joined: Tue Aug 11, 2009 9:32 am

Re: How does everyone feel about mandatory staff bonus contributions?

Post by Anonymous User » Mon Dec 06, 2021 2:56 pm

you raise fair points. the associates at my firm include all of the staff in the general staff bonus fund (I think).

Joachim2017

Bronze
Posts: 289
Joined: Sun Dec 01, 2019 8:17 pm

Re: How does everyone feel about mandatory staff bonus contributions?

Post by Joachim2017 » Mon Dec 06, 2021 2:59 pm

Doesn't the partnership also make these staff contributions? I had assumed staff received them from associates and from partners separately.

Anonymous User
Posts: 428122
Joined: Tue Aug 11, 2009 9:32 am

Re: How does everyone feel about mandatory staff bonus contributions?

Post by Anonymous User » Mon Dec 06, 2021 3:15 pm

I feel the same about it as I feel about tipping at a restaurant.

That is to say, I believe the employer should pay staff and making an optional-mandatory contribution from other employees or customers is stupid.

nixy

Gold
Posts: 4446
Joined: Fri Feb 16, 2018 8:58 am

Re: How does everyone feel about mandatory staff bonus contributions?

Post by nixy » Mon Dec 06, 2021 3:33 pm

Anonymous User wrote:
Mon Dec 06, 2021 3:15 pm
I feel the same about it as I feel about tipping at a restaurant.

That is to say, I believe the employer should pay staff and making an optional-mandatory contribution from other employees or customers is stupid.
Do you nonetheless tip/give to the bonus because it’s what’s expected?

Want to continue reading?

Register now to search topics and post comments!

Absolutely FREE!


jotarokujo

Bronze
Posts: 478
Joined: Fri Dec 20, 2019 5:23 pm

Re: How does everyone feel about mandatory staff bonus contributions?

Post by jotarokujo » Mon Dec 06, 2021 3:48 pm

do they do this in tech and finance?

User avatar
bretby

Bronze
Posts: 452
Joined: Thu Oct 30, 2014 5:15 pm

Re: How does everyone feel about mandatory staff bonus contributions?

Post by bretby » Mon Dec 06, 2021 3:48 pm

In general I do not have a problem giving holiday gifts to support staff. Maybe the partners contribute a hefty sum, maybe not, but honestly in my opinion worrying about what other people give does come across as a little greedy and whiny. Have you tried to figure out a way to tip the people you want to tip? Maybe find out the contractor and talk to them? (Or ask your secretary to do it.)

Anonymous User
Posts: 428122
Joined: Tue Aug 11, 2009 9:32 am

Re: How does everyone feel about mandatory staff bonus contributions?

Post by Anonymous User » Mon Dec 06, 2021 3:55 pm

nixy wrote:
Mon Dec 06, 2021 3:33 pm
Anonymous User wrote:
Mon Dec 06, 2021 3:15 pm
I feel the same about it as I feel about tipping at a restaurant.

That is to say, I believe the employer should pay staff and making an optional-mandatory contribution from other employees or customers is stupid.
Do you nonetheless tip/give to the bonus because it’s what’s expected?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V4sbYy0WdGQ

Anonymous User
Posts: 428122
Joined: Tue Aug 11, 2009 9:32 am

Re: How does everyone feel about mandatory staff bonus contributions?

Post by Anonymous User » Mon Dec 06, 2021 3:56 pm

Tbh I just delete those emails. I know staff works hard and I'm appreciative. Its on the partners, however, and the firm to compensate them accordingly. I have to pay off school loans. Why is it on me? Pass.

Want to continue reading?

Register for access!

Did I mention it was FREE ?


Anonymous User
Posts: 428122
Joined: Tue Aug 11, 2009 9:32 am

Re: How does everyone feel about mandatory staff bonus contributions?

Post by Anonymous User » Mon Dec 06, 2021 5:58 pm

Yes, the firm should be responsible for comping staff the same way a restaurant should increase pay for their staff, but that isn't the way it works today, and griping about $100 when people were in hysterics basically invoking Eugene fucking Debs over whether or not we'd get raises on the Cravath bonus is tone-deaf.

Give the $100 and move on.

Anonymous User
Posts: 428122
Joined: Tue Aug 11, 2009 9:32 am

Re: How does everyone feel about mandatory staff bonus contributions?

Post by Anonymous User » Mon Dec 06, 2021 6:49 pm

I think the $ x class year thing is obnoxious, but I do send my secretary a $100 gift card every holiday season. I also send a paralegal in the practice that I work with a lot a $100 gift card. Giving your secretary a $600 gift a sixth year seems egregious. If you're spending more on your secretary than your SO, mother, father, etc., things have gotten out of hand.

Joachim2017

Bronze
Posts: 289
Joined: Sun Dec 01, 2019 8:17 pm

Re: How does everyone feel about mandatory staff bonus contributions?

Post by Joachim2017 » Mon Dec 06, 2021 7:04 pm

Anonymous User wrote:
Mon Dec 06, 2021 6:49 pm
I think the $ x class year thing is obnoxious, but I do send my secretary a $100 gift card every holiday season. I also send a paralegal in the practice that I work with a lot a $100 gift card. Giving your secretary a $600 gift a sixth year seems egregious. If you're spending more on your secretary than your SO, mother, father, etc., things have gotten out of hand.
Well, it's for a year's worth of appreciation for work, not a one-off casual gift just for the heck of it.

Anonymous User
Posts: 428122
Joined: Tue Aug 11, 2009 9:32 am

Re: How does everyone feel about mandatory staff bonus contributions?

Post by Anonymous User » Mon Dec 06, 2021 8:42 pm

Anonymous User wrote:
Mon Dec 06, 2021 6:49 pm
I think the $ x class year thing is obnoxious, but I do send my secretary a $100 gift card every holiday season. I also send a paralegal in the practice that I work with a lot a $100 gift card. Giving your secretary a $600 gift a sixth year seems egregious. If you're spending more on your secretary than your SO, mother, father, etc., things have gotten out of hand.
6th years are grossing $126,000 in EOY bonus comp. Even in a very high tax state, $600 to a secretary is less than 1% of the take-home just on the bonus. Never mind the $300k salary.

It's not a "gift" as much as it is your secretary's bonus, and much like tipping culture, it is inefficient but expected and you're a douche if you don't do it.

Register now!

Resources to assist law school applicants, students & graduates.

It's still FREE!


Anonymous User
Posts: 428122
Joined: Tue Aug 11, 2009 9:32 am

Re: How does everyone feel about mandatory staff bonus contributions?

Post by Anonymous User » Mon Dec 06, 2021 8:56 pm

AmLaw100 firm here. We don't have a mandatory program, instead everyone's on their own to gift. In my firm the practice groups pretty much pool money together and someone buys the gifts. However, I just learned that while I was contributing $100 for each paralegal and secretary I work with ($400 total), the others only gave about $50, some even less, but we were all named together on the cards... I'm pretty annoyed. I might just give my own gifts next year.

Anonymous User
Posts: 428122
Joined: Tue Aug 11, 2009 9:32 am

Re: How does everyone feel about mandatory staff bonus contributions?

Post by Anonymous User » Mon Dec 06, 2021 8:57 pm

Any argument that associates have plenty of money applies to the firms even more. Firms pay staff salaries, they can pay bonuses too. It's a really weird practice! But anyway, if that's the expectation then you gotta do it.

What's weird tho is pooled staff contributions. One this to give your secretary an envelope with cash from you. Pooled, it's just an anonymous donation.

thisismytlsuername

Bronze
Posts: 256
Joined: Wed Dec 20, 2017 10:22 pm

Re: How does everyone feel about mandatory staff bonus contributions?

Post by thisismytlsuername » Mon Dec 06, 2021 9:45 pm

I just want to pop in and laugh at OP. Dude makes half a million bucks a year to push paper and is complaining about throwing a few hundred dollars to the people who do his bitch work and clean up after him, and wants to stay anonymous so no one knows how cheap he is.

Anonymous User
Posts: 428122
Joined: Tue Aug 11, 2009 9:32 am

Re: How does everyone feel about mandatory staff bonus contributions?

Post by Anonymous User » Mon Dec 06, 2021 9:51 pm

My firm has an unspoken rule about this too - $100 per class year for secretaries, maybe $100-200 every year for custodial staff. Nothing for other staff members (word processing, paralegals, etc.). Weird but it seems like that's the way it's always been done, and partners contribute too.

Get unlimited access to all forums and topics

Register now!

I'm pretty sure I told you it's FREE...


dyemond

Bronze
Posts: 106
Joined: Mon Aug 19, 2019 12:42 pm

Re: How does everyone feel about mandatory staff bonus contributions?

Post by dyemond » Mon Dec 06, 2021 10:10 pm

Anonymous User wrote:
Mon Dec 06, 2021 6:49 pm
I think the $ x class year thing is obnoxious, but I do send my secretary a $100 gift card every holiday season. I also send a paralegal in the practice that I work with a lot a $100 gift card. Giving your secretary a $600 gift a sixth year seems egregious. If you're spending more on your secretary than your SO, mother, father, etc., things have gotten out of hand.
Pay the $600 to your secretary Mr. Pink.

Buglaw

Bronze
Posts: 195
Joined: Wed Dec 25, 2019 9:24 pm

Re: How does everyone feel about mandatory staff bonus contributions?

Post by Buglaw » Mon Dec 06, 2021 10:19 pm

This thread is full of the same sort of shitty attitudes partners take towards associate compensation. The same people in this thread who bitch about how partners won’t share the spoils of their increased earnings with associates even though it’s a small fraction of their earnings, won’t share the spoils with their underlings even though it’s a small fraction of their earnings.

Just be grateful for what you have and say thank you to those below you. You made hundreds of thousands of dollars this year stop bitching about the 1/5 of 1% of that total that you are expected to give to your secretary. Should the firm give more, probably, but maybe you should too. And you have total control over yourself and little to no control over the firm.

Anonymous User
Posts: 428122
Joined: Tue Aug 11, 2009 9:32 am

Re: How does everyone feel about mandatory staff bonus contributions?

Post by Anonymous User » Mon Dec 06, 2021 10:19 pm

thisismytlsuername wrote:
Mon Dec 06, 2021 9:45 pm
I just want to pop in and laugh at OP. Dude makes half a million bucks a year to push paper and is complaining about throwing a few hundred dollars to the people who do his bitch work and clean up after him, and wants to stay anonymous so no one knows how cheap he is.
OP - yes, I’m cheap. And probably pretty laughable. But yeah, it’s a forum to vent! I always make the payments, with a smile - but first up, none of these people do my bitch work - I can’t remember the last time I asked my secretary to do anything for me, and I’m not sure why I should be covering the other staff’s benefits (like… did HR really go out of their way for me this year?).

Secondly, my point is not that it’s a crazy burden, it’s that it makes no sense for employees not sharing in the profits to be asked to subsidize from their salaries the bonuses of other salaried employees.

Finally, if the reminder emails were composed in a respectful way about what a nice tradition it is, it would be one thing, but at least at my firm, they’re very much “you are a cheap shit if you don’t comply and you will be shamed amongst the partners” and that gets my hackles up - I don’t like the vibe.

Anonymous User
Posts: 428122
Joined: Tue Aug 11, 2009 9:32 am

Re: How does everyone feel about mandatory staff bonus contributions?

Post by Anonymous User » Mon Dec 06, 2021 10:21 pm

Anonymous User wrote:
Mon Dec 06, 2021 10:19 pm
thisismytlsuername wrote:
Mon Dec 06, 2021 9:45 pm
I just want to pop in and laugh at OP. Dude makes half a million bucks a year to push paper and is complaining about throwing a few hundred dollars to the people who do his bitch work and clean up after him, and wants to stay anonymous so no one knows how cheap he is.
OP - yes, I’m cheap. And probably pretty laughable. But yeah, it’s a forum to vent! I always make the payments, with a smile - but first up, none of these people do my bitch work - I can’t remember the last time I asked my secretary to do anything for me, and I’m not sure why I should be covering the other staff’s benefits (like… did HR really go out of their way for me this year?).

Secondly, my point is not that it’s a crazy burden, it’s that it makes no sense for employees not sharing in the profits to be asked to subsidize from their salaries the bonuses of other salaried employees.

Finally, if the reminder emails were composed in a respectful way about what a nice tradition it is, it would be one thing, but at least at my firm, they’re very much “you are a cheap shit if you don’t comply and you will be shamed amongst the partners” and that gets my hackles up - I don’t like the vibe.

You are a cheap shit if you don’t comply and should be shamed. I agree with the partners and those who wrote the email.

Communicate now with those who not only know what a legal education is, but can offer you worthy advice and commentary as you complete the three most educational, yet challenging years of your law related post graduate life.

Register now, it's still FREE!


Anonymous User
Posts: 428122
Joined: Tue Aug 11, 2009 9:32 am

Re: How does everyone feel about mandatory staff bonus contributions?

Post by Anonymous User » Mon Dec 06, 2021 11:15 pm

Anonymous User wrote:
Mon Dec 06, 2021 10:21 pm
Anonymous User wrote:
Mon Dec 06, 2021 10:19 pm
thisismytlsuername wrote:
Mon Dec 06, 2021 9:45 pm
I just want to pop in and laugh at OP. Dude makes half a million bucks a year to push paper and is complaining about throwing a few hundred dollars to the people who do his bitch work and clean up after him, and wants to stay anonymous so no one knows how cheap he is.
OP - yes, I’m cheap. And probably pretty laughable. But yeah, it’s a forum to vent! I always make the payments, with a smile - but first up, none of these people do my bitch work - I can’t remember the last time I asked my secretary to do anything for me, and I’m not sure why I should be covering the other staff’s benefits (like… did HR really go out of their way for me this year?).

Secondly, my point is not that it’s a crazy burden, it’s that it makes no sense for employees not sharing in the profits to be asked to subsidize from their salaries the bonuses of other salaried employees.

Finally, if the reminder emails were composed in a respectful way about what a nice tradition it is, it would be one thing, but at least at my firm, they’re very much “you are a cheap shit if you don’t comply and you will be shamed amongst the partners” and that gets my hackles up - I don’t like the vibe.

You are a cheap shit if you don’t comply and should be shamed. I agree with the partners and those who wrote the email.
Hyperbole aside, okay, fair enough, respect your opinion. Curious on the rationale though - do you think that all employees at companies who are making 2x or 3x other employees should be contributing to their bonuses? Is it the tradition aspect? Do you just generally think that $600 is not material to high earners, and it’s therefore cheap to have any qualms about fairness with respect to such an amount? Is it cheap to even have the discussion about how the firm manages to avoid approx $1M in employee costs each year by having high earning employees subsidize lower earning employees?

Anonymous User
Posts: 428122
Joined: Tue Aug 11, 2009 9:32 am

Re: How does everyone feel about mandatory staff bonus contributions?

Post by Anonymous User » Mon Dec 06, 2021 11:39 pm

Anonymous User wrote:
Mon Dec 06, 2021 11:15 pm
Anonymous User wrote:
Mon Dec 06, 2021 10:21 pm
Anonymous User wrote:
Mon Dec 06, 2021 10:19 pm
thisismytlsuername wrote:
Mon Dec 06, 2021 9:45 pm
I just want to pop in and laugh at OP. Dude makes half a million bucks a year to push paper and is complaining about throwing a few hundred dollars to the people who do his bitch work and clean up after him, and wants to stay anonymous so no one knows how cheap he is.
OP - yes, I’m cheap. And probably pretty laughable. But yeah, it’s a forum to vent! I always make the payments, with a smile - but first up, none of these people do my bitch work - I can’t remember the last time I asked my secretary to do anything for me, and I’m not sure why I should be covering the other staff’s benefits (like… did HR really go out of their way for me this year?).

Secondly, my point is not that it’s a crazy burden, it’s that it makes no sense for employees not sharing in the profits to be asked to subsidize from their salaries the bonuses of other salaried employees.

Finally, if the reminder emails were composed in a respectful way about what a nice tradition it is, it would be one thing, but at least at my firm, they’re very much “you are a cheap shit if you don’t comply and you will be shamed amongst the partners” and that gets my hackles up - I don’t like the vibe.

You are a cheap shit if you don’t comply and should be shamed. I agree with the partners and those who wrote the email.
Hyperbole aside, okay, fair enough, respect your opinion. Curious on the rationale though - do you think that all employees at companies who are making 2x or 3x other employees should be contributing to their bonuses? Is it the tradition aspect? Do you just generally think that $600 is not material to high earners, and it’s therefore cheap to have any qualms about fairness with respect to such an amount? Is it cheap to even have the discussion about how the firm manages to avoid approx $1M in employee costs each year by having high earning employees subsidize lower earning employees?
Isn't it obvious that this is just a relic from the past when assistants, you know, actually assisted?

Anonymous User
Posts: 428122
Joined: Tue Aug 11, 2009 9:32 am

Re: How does everyone feel about mandatory staff bonus contributions?

Post by Anonymous User » Mon Dec 06, 2021 11:39 pm

Anonymous User wrote:
Mon Dec 06, 2021 11:15 pm
Anonymous User wrote:
Mon Dec 06, 2021 10:21 pm
Anonymous User wrote:
Mon Dec 06, 2021 10:19 pm
thisismytlsuername wrote:
Mon Dec 06, 2021 9:45 pm
I just want to pop in and laugh at OP. Dude makes half a million bucks a year to push paper and is complaining about throwing a few hundred dollars to the people who do his bitch work and clean up after him, and wants to stay anonymous so no one knows how cheap he is.
OP - yes, I’m cheap. And probably pretty laughable. But yeah, it’s a forum to vent! I always make the payments, with a smile - but first up, none of these people do my bitch work - I can’t remember the last time I asked my secretary to do anything for me, and I’m not sure why I should be covering the other staff’s benefits (like… did HR really go out of their way for me this year?).

Secondly, my point is not that it’s a crazy burden, it’s that it makes no sense for employees not sharing in the profits to be asked to subsidize from their salaries the bonuses of other salaried employees.

Finally, if the reminder emails were composed in a respectful way about what a nice tradition it is, it would be one thing, but at least at my firm, they’re very much “you are a cheap shit if you don’t comply and you will be shamed amongst the partners” and that gets my hackles up - I don’t like the vibe.

You are a cheap shit if you don’t comply and should be shamed. I agree with the partners and those who wrote the email.
Hyperbole aside, okay, fair enough, respect your opinion. Curious on the rationale though - do you think that all employees at companies who are making 2x or 3x other employees should be contributing to their bonuses? Is it the tradition aspect? Do you just generally think that $600 is not material to high earners, and it’s therefore cheap to have any qualms about fairness with respect to such an amount? Is it cheap to even have the discussion about how the firm manages to avoid approx $1M in employee costs each year by having high earning employees subsidize lower earning employees?
Isn't it obvious that this is just a relic from the past when assistants, you know, actually assisted?

Anonymous User
Posts: 428122
Joined: Tue Aug 11, 2009 9:32 am

Re: How does everyone feel about mandatory staff bonus contributions?

Post by Anonymous User » Mon Dec 06, 2021 11:41 pm

This. Is. Ridiculous.

No I don't have to pay anyone a Christmas bonus as an employee (emphasis added). It's a norm, not a rule. Don't do it if you don't want to. Sorry, but I'm not paying my secretary a 600$ dollar bonus--its the firms responsibility not mine. Not to mention, it takes them several weeks to process receipts (and I just lateraled so there is no correlation between processing time and prior lack of payment). Don't shame someone because they are "cheap." Maybe they are paying off school loans, maybe they are supporting a family, maybe they are taking care of their parents and can't afford these extra payments that firms--who rake in millions/billions per year should pay. Sorry I'm not sorry.

Seriously? What are you waiting for?

Now there's a charge.
Just kidding ... it's still FREE!


Post Reply Post Anonymous Reply  

Return to “Legal Employment”