[temporallobe]

You’re right about the retention bonus not being life-changing money, but it’s actually a pretty nice chunk (roughly a month’s salary). It’s more about keeping promises and trust. When companies start taking away perks and compensation or weasel their way out of promises, it’s a red flag. I left a really good position at a major defense contractor for similar reasons, then came back to work as an IC for far more moolah.