Goodwill Industries review: Merit increase policy

Have you looked at the tax returns of your goodwill? It's a very "eye" opening experience. Employees only qualify for 3% merit pay increase... that is providing they get a 100% on each part of their annual review... which is pretty much impossible. However, lately the staff has been told that due to the current financial situation merit increases would be suspended and they are "sure you understand because of our mission." Not only are merit increases nonexistent, the number of employees continue to shrink fewer and fewer. Community out reach is becoming more non existent. At managers meetings, it is told because the brick and mortar stores are not carrying their weight and if they would sell more, rotate more, up price more, round up more, then these things would not be an issue and we could go back to the way it was. However due to current lack of performance at store levels, those perks can not be afforded any longer.
However, this constraint isn't felt by the TOP 5! In addition to a yearly bonus, this above average set of individuals have enjoyed double digit merit increases year after year. With the national average being 3.3%, these people are buying bigger pocket books to acomodate their 16% to 67% merit salary increases. The lowest paid now makes over $200, 000 each year. Maybe its because of the increase responsibility of number of employees? Maybe it's because direct assistance to clients is increasing? Maybe because the sales are phenomenal and they are celebrating?
Employees went from over 3,500 to less than 2,800
Bottom line reported a loss of $2.9 million
Direct client assistance went from 124 to 19. With a budget dropping from $79, 000 to just around $11, 000. The lowest salary increase was over $20, 000.
So how is it that the community thumbprint continues to decrease but the TOP 5 are continually rewarding themselves with not even national average increases, but at minimum over 5 x that amount. It's a disgrace to push employees beyond their breaking points and then point blame that they are the reason benefits are being withheld for people making $9 / hour. That phrase "a hand up not a hand out" Check your local goodwill's 990 tax returns on irs.gov or propublica and see just who is getting that hand up!