3 and 6 month bonus Scum behaviour by Royal Mail

[SouthernFerry]

Classified: RMG – Internal
Royal Mail Welcome Bonus
1.1 Royal Mail agrees to make a gross payment to you of up to £1500 (which will be subject
to all deductions required for tax and national insurance) (the “First Joining Bonus”)
1.2 The First Joining Bonus shall be payable in the month following your completion of 12
weeks continuous employment.
1.3 In addition, Royal Mail agrees to make a gross payment to you of up to £1500 (which will
be subject to all deductions required for tax and national insurance) (the “Second Joining
Bonus”)
1.4 The Second Joining Bonus shall be payable in the month following your completion of 26
weeks continuous employment.
1.5 You will not be entitled to receive either payment if, prior to the applicable payment
date, you have been dismissed or given notice of dismissal by Royal Mail or you have
resigned or given notice of resignation.
1.6 If you receive the First or Second Joining Bonus but exit the business, then the Leaving
the Business Procedure will govern whether the First of Second Joining Bonus is / are
payable again in the event that you are offered a role with the business in the future.
The Leaving the Business Procedure is accessible by all colleagues via the RM People App
under the “RMG People Policy plus key documents” tab.
2. Recovery of Bonus
2.1 You agree to repay to Royal Mail in full an amount equal to the net amount of the First
Joining bonus if, within one year of having received the First Joining bonus, either of the
below events (the “Repayment Events”) occur:
(i) you are dismissed or given notice of dismissal by Royal Mail because in its
reasonable belief you are guilty of gross misconduct or a fundamental breach of
contract; or
(ii) you resign from and/or give notice of resignation to Royal Mail.

[SouthernFerry]

I am contacting you to clarify the position regarding your eligibility to receive a Joining Bonus (sometimes referred to as a “Welcome Bonus”) from Royal Mail.


At the time of your recruitment I understand you were told that you would be paid a Joining Bonus, if eligible. The full terms of the Joining Bonus are confirmed in a contract addendum that is supposed to be issued to eligible new starters at the outset of their employment.


The contract addendum includes details about Royal Mail’s right to seek repayment of the Joining Bonus in the event the employee leaves Royal Mail within a specified period.


Unfortunately, due to an administrative oversight the contract addendum was not issued to you at the outset of your employment. Royal Mail therefore understands that you are unlikely to be aware of the repayment terms that apply to the Joining Bonus.


In light of the above, I confirm that Royal Mail will not under any circumstances seek recovery of the Joining Bonus that was paid to you in June 2024.


However, in order to be eligible for the second instalment of the Joining Bonus (potentially payable after six months’ employment with Royal Mail) you must sign and return the attached addendum, which confirms the circumstances in which Royal Mail can recover from you the gross amount of the second instalment from you.

If you do not agree to the attached addendum, the second instalment of the Joining Bonus will not be paid to you.


If you wish to receive the second instalment of the Joining Bonus, please confirm your acceptance by responding to this email by 15th August 2024.
If we do not hear from you by 15th August 2024 the second instalment of the Joining Bonus will not be paid to you.
Please contact name.removed@royalmail.com if you have any queries.

Many thanks
New Joiners and Vetting

[SouthernFerry]

Please note this has been sent after the 6 month bonus has been paid and they want you to sign a contract addendum they forgot to send after... The fact.

[N|M]

Sounds like they are just covering there bases, and in there error they have said the 1st bonus will not need to be repaid if you are sacked or leave RM within a set period of time (1 year)

However to get the 2nd bonus you will need to sign the document that you would have had to sign from the start to get any of it (maybe even get the job?)

Most company's do this with training etc where you have to agree not to leave within a set period of time from getting the training.

[Ahlloyd]

I left after 8 months. They took the £300 bonus payment (I only work part time) out of my final pay packet and as I only 7 hours per week that say I owe they about £150 as well when I was never told about the sign on bonus, even though I queried it with my line manager and then HR/Payroll as well. Only now when I have queried it they send me the addendum and offer their apologies but still want the bonus back!!

[redlen]

When did this bonus scheme begin with new starters?
People have been asking about it and the response being No if not in your contract of employment and people are being asked to provide the original advert they applied to?
Any chance of some clarity?

[Ahlloyd]

I started in Oct 2024 and 3 month Bonus received in Jan 2024. No mention made of it in the original advert as I had worked for Royal Mail for 2 1/2 years via an agency and when they stopped the agency work they sent me a Sunday only working Contract (No mention of Bonus in the advert or Contract)

[SouthernFerry]

Sounds like they are just covering there bases, and in there error they have said the 1st bonus will not need to be repaid if you are sacked or leave RM within a set period of time (1 year)

However to get the 2nd bonus you will need to sign the document that you would have had to sign from the start to get any of it (maybe even get the job?)

Most company's do this with training etc where you have to agree not to leave within a set period of time from getting the training.

Thats fine, but ive left the company now without signing any addendum and they have still deducted.l the bonus despite completing over 6months.
Very illegal royal mail...

[N|M]

Sounds like they are just covering there bases, and in there error they have said the 1st bonus will not need to be repaid if you are sacked or leave RM within a set period of time (1 year)

However to get the 2nd bonus you will need to sign the document that you would have had to sign from the start to get any of it (maybe even get the job?)

Most company's do this with training etc where you have to agree not to leave within a set period of time from getting the training.

Thats fine, but ive left the company now without signing any addendum and they have still deducted.l the bonus despite completing over 6months.
Very illegal royal mail...

I would contact them and present that email/letter you got as that clearly states the 1st bonus is yours regardless

In light of the above, I confirm that Royal Mail will not under any circumstances seek recovery of the Joining Bonus that was paid to you in June 2024.

[crazyshrew]

When did this bonus scheme begin with new starters?
People have been asking about it and the response being No if not in your contract of employment and people are being asked to provide the original advert they applied to?
Any chance of some clarity?

I first noticed it on some job adverts well over a year ago. I have no reason to believe it's a universal policy. I suspect it would be offered to applicants in offices that are seriously struggling to recruit and/or retain their staff.

Given how dire this situation is in my office and I assume many offices nationwide, one has to wonder just how bad things really need to be in a place for RM sweetener in the adverts and offers.