So you’ve received your annual bonus, and it seems pretty low…Not just because of tax reasons, but because the actual bonus amount is only 20, 30 or 50% of what you could have received, or even lower. Can you contest it? Should you even challenge it, and if so, on what basis?

My $0.05: Bonuses are in nature discretionary, which makes it hard to contest or challenge them. However, one way to do so is to keep your performance documented all year long, as evidential support to demonstrate why you should be getting a larger compensation.
Additionally, having an honest sit-down chat with your manager can also help you address these issues. Yet, keep in mind unless job security is not your priority, you can only go so far.
If you’d rather keep your job, then challenge your bonus wisely and don’t be overly pushy. However, if you’re not worried about keeping your job (you may be ready to leave), then you may want to involve Human Resources in the discussion.

Have you ever challenged your bonus, and if so, how did you go about it?

The Corporate Sis.