[Flumper Barflusterbutt]

I wonder how many companies are holding out on their people because of the doom and gloom in the papers about next year?We are kind of doing it too.I have access to my companies books so I know we had a great year and it was better than '07 when we gave everyone 2 checks but this year we are holding out with the one.If someone complained I really wouldnt know what to say except how do you like your job?

I had this exact conversation just a few days ago. This is going on all over the place. People had good years in 2008 and yet they are cutting back on bonuses because of the outlook for 2009.

I had to put together bonuses for our employees a couple of weeks ago and it was tempting. But, I kept telling myself that the bonuses were the reward for what they had done in 2008, not what is going to happen in 2009. So I used the exact same formula for doing it as every other year. It was slightly more than we paid out in 2007 and was the most we had ever paid out.

I did tell the employees that get the largest bonuses that they might as well get ready for 2009, because it probably will not be that great. They understand that times are tough right now.