[jesyka]

I just got a .50 cent raise at work. Two of my coworkers got a dollar raise. I don’t understand that & I think it’s unfair as I work hard & I’m reliable too.

My boss doesn’t like or respect me, so maybe that has something to do with things? I’m surprised that I even got one at all.

It’s better than nothing, but I’m still disappointed. I really went out of my way to get that raise. I held my tongue when 2 mean managers lashed out at me & I cleaned a filfthy room when my client moved out by myself.

Everyone at the house was supposed to help out, but no one did anything but me. And this is my thanks? What a joke.

[ZilchHour]

That sounds really frustrating, and your feelings make total sense. You worked hard, showed reliability, and even stepped up when others didn’t, so it’s natural to feel disappointed when the raise doesn’t reflect your effort. It’s especially tough when you already feel like your boss doesn’t respect you—it makes the situation feel even more unfair.

You’re right that it’s better than nothing, but it’s okay to acknowledge the letdown too. Sometimes raises have less to do with effort and more to do with favoritism, budgets, or how management perceives things, which isn’t always fair. What matters is that you know the effort you’ve put in, even if it’s not being recognized the way it should be.

If you can, keep documenting the times you go above and beyond—like cleaning that room when no one else would. Having that record could help if you ever decide to ask for a review or advocate for yourself again. And in the long run, it may be worth keeping an eye out for other opportunities where your work ethic and reliability will be valued more fairly.

You absolutely deserve to feel appreciated for the hard work you do.