If your organization has a policy of paying out a bonus (sometimes called as performance-based pay or simply variable pay), you need to ensure that your salary offer mentions this fact. While most salary offers do mention this fact, you need to watch out especially when you’re given a salary increment — your increment letter should mention any changes in your bonus/variable pay.

I’ve witnessed a couple of friends for whom the change in bonus/variable pay wasn’t mentioned in their salary increment letters and who a few months later when looking for new jobs found it tough to prove this fact.

[sniplet tip tuesdays]