I Would Like My Raise Now Please

Currently the company is in the middle of a hiring and salary freeze. I don't think I need to tell you what that does to morale. But considering the economy, it probably doesn't come as much of a surprise to anyone. A few months ago the entire floor was pulled into a meeting room to be told that no one would be hired and no one would be getting any cost of living or merit raises.

Obviously since then we have hired 3 temps- but we don't pay them real money so they don't count. Plus there have been parties held since then to let us know how much we are appreciated. Saving that money to apply to raises would be ridiculous.

Anyway. My old boss, a lovely, warm hearted generous man (read stingy socially awkward goon), had a meeting with me last August. My 6 month performance appraisal. I was told that generally I was doing a good job, but would be even better if I took some courses to elevate my level of expertise. Obviously studying for these tests would be done on my time and I would have to absorb the cost initially but it would help in my day to day operations (I still haven't and don't think that it affects me at all). I was told that we would discuss my "compensation" at another follow up meeting (they sure love their follow up meetings, an excellent way to measure productivity without actually getting anything done).

That meeting never happened.

I figured it was his anti-social management way of not telling me that I wasn't eligible for a raise. When I had my one year performance evaluation (after my manager's departure) I was told that because I was already at "mid-point" in my pay level I was ineligible for a further raise. I was confused by that as I had not received a raise but chalked it up to the pay freeze.

So then it was time to do my taxes for the year. And my taxes claimed that I had earned a lot more (well more anyway) than I was sure that I was earning. So at this point its February. I bring it up with my current manager who tells me she will speak to Human Resources and get back to me. HR tells her that I am earning the higher amount.

So I'm getting taxed on money I never earned. Awesome. Like I don't already hate paying taxes.
After some back and forth I was told that it should go through my next pay.

It didn't.

It still hasn't.

I'm sure it will though right? Yeah, I'm feeling really motivated to work harder...