Raises are a touchy subject. We’re told it’s impolite to talk about salary, but that it’s also up to us to ask for what we deserve. So where does that leave us in terms of asking for a raise? I applaud those who bust down their boss’s doors, armed with numbers and data and a will to negotiate. But a lot of us don’t have the will or the gumption. 

There’s also some amount of onus on the employer to start the conversation. They have an incentive to keep their employees happy, and reward them for their work, not to mention offset inflation. Especially for workers who continue to show their loyalty. But that doesn’t always happen, does it? Like in the case of a worker who gave 10 years of her working life to a company, only to be rewarded with… peanuts. Actually, peanuts might have been less insulting. Read on for the horrific details.