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Question regarding use of MERCER table for COLA by employer

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KevinBanes
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Question regarding use of MERCER table for COLA by employer

Post by KevinBanes » Sat, 23 Oct 2021 4:23 pm

Dear all,

I will be sent to Singapore for 1 year by my employer (no family).

For cost of loving allowance, they have used the MERCER table. I am wondering whether they use the table correctly, given the very low COLA compensation I will get. Hopefully someone with experience can help me out.

The MERCER table I received from my company compares with the example table published by MERCER (attached to this post): https://www.mercer.co.jp/content/dam/me ... mercer.pdf

- My company will give me a yearly COLA which is listed under the column 'differentials' (p. 5 of the pdf, see green box in attachment to this post). However, shouldn't they be giving me the COLA-amount which is listed under the column 'Single Allowance' (p. 4 of the pdf, see black box in the attachment to this pdf). I would think that 'Single Allowance' means the COLA for a single person.. Is my company using the MERCER table wrong by looking at the column 'differentials' for determining my COLA?

I look forward to receiving your views on how to use the MERCER table for getting to my COLA in the correct way.

Thanks!
Kevin
Attachments
differentials.jpg
single alowance.jpg

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sundaymorningstaple
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Re: Question regarding use of MERCER table for COLA by employer

Post by sundaymorningstaple » Sat, 23 Oct 2021 4:32 pm

Looks like you are already here according to your IP address. So then there should be no problem in just asking your new/potential employer for clarification.
SOME PEOPLE TRY TO TURN BACK THEIR ODOMETERS. NOT ME. I WANT PEOPLE TO KNOW WHY I LOOK THIS WAY. I'VE TRAVELED A LONG WAY, AND SOME OF THE ROADS WEREN'T PAVED. ~ Will Rogers

KevinBanes
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Re: Question regarding use of MERCER table for COLA by employer

Post by KevinBanes » Sun, 24 Oct 2021 10:25 am

Obviously I did, but unfortunately they can't explain why they take the 'differentials 'column instead of the 'single allowance' column other than that they have done that previously, which isn't of much help.

Hence, any objective views here by anyone with experience with a MERCER table would be very helpful.

KevinBanes
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Re: Question regarding use of MERCER table for COLA by employer

Post by KevinBanes » Thu, 28 Oct 2021 5:08 pm

Does anyone have any experience with the above? Would be much appreciated, thanks

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