Direct answer
A transfer resets comp math: the new band, the cycle window, and the refresher schedule. Run the audit in the first cycle, not the second. The transfer rules live in the internal transfer guide , the 90-day reset in the post-transfer guide , and the promotion case is in the promotion generator . Raise denials follow the written growth contract: the denial playbook .
Updated November 9, 2026 · Reviewed against US DOL — workplace standards
A transfer resets comp math: the new band, the cycle window, and the refresher schedule. Run the audit in the first cycle, not the second.
The Audit
- Band reset: your pay follows the new level's band. The new-band midpoint is the baseline; your placement at 90-110% is the target (see the bands guide).
- Cycle placement: your first review runs in the new team's cycle; the criteria co-write is in the 90-day guide.
- Refresher timing: new level grants follow the refresher policy; the ask language is in the refresher guide.
- Mid-cycle window: two quarters of scope evidence from the new team, then the comp review — the path is in the mid-cycle guide.
The transfer rules live in the internal transfer guide, the 90-day reset in the post-transfer guide, and the promotion case is in the promotion generator. Raise denials follow the written growth contract: the denial playbook.
Before you sign, get these in writing
- The rule text, not a summary: the sentence in the handbook, plan document, or offer letter that states the payout, eligibility, or notice duty.
- The dates: the notice date, the last day worked, the effective date of any change, and the date the decision was made.
- The name and channel of the decision maker: who approved it, and the email or portal the confirmation was sent through.
- Your own copy, dated: save the request you sent and the answer you received, with the timestamp. A record built after access is cut is much weaker.
Put the rule into action
Direct answer: a transfer comp audit is not about what you earned before; it is about how the new level prices you. Five inputs decide the number, and you should collect all five in writing before the first cycle in your new scope.
- The band. The new level's range, its midpoint, and where you sit. Ask for the posted range; pay transparency rules in several states require a range to be published, per the pay transparency entry.
- The level definition. The sentences that describe scope, autonomy, and impact at the new level. Your evidence has to match those sentences, not your job title.
- The cycle calendar. The review window, the decision date, and the effective date of changes. A transfer usually waits for the new team's cycle.
- The delivery record in the new scope. Two quarters of measurable outcomes from the new team beats a longer history from the old one.
- The refresher or equity policy. New-level grants follow a policy with its own schedule; ask what applies to transfers so you are not negotiating blind.
Run The Audit Against The Range, Not Your Feelings
Compare your placement with the midpoint and then decide the ask. The math is simple; the discipline is writing it down.
- Compute placement. Divide your base by the band midpoint. Below the midpoint means the argument is scope fit; above it means the argument is impact and retention risk.
- Price the total, not the base. Use the Salary Counteroffer Calculator for base, bonus target, equity value, PTO weeks, and remote days, so the ask lists five items instead of one number.
- Check the market once. Two comparable postings in the same market at the same level are enough evidence to quote.
- Ask for the band in writing. The Compensation Band Request generator produces the email; the salary band entry explains the midpoint logic.
- Watch for level lag. If your title changed but the band did not, that is a documented gap. Ask which band your current job description maps to.
The Ask Sequence And The Denial Fallback
Sequence matters because a denial without a written target list leaves you in the same place next cycle.
- First ask: placement correction inside the new band, with your evidence attached. Build it with the Promotion & Raise Request Letter generator.
- Second ask, if the cycle is frozen: a dated commitment. "If this cycle is closed, please confirm the target range and the review date in writing."
- Third ask: non-cash terms the company can approve immediately, such as a level confirmation, a named mentor, a training budget, or two remote days.
- On a denial: respond the same week with the evidence you were graded against, the next ask, and a checkpoint date, using the Raise Denial Response Letter generator. A denial answered with written targets becomes a growth contract.
- Track it. Log the request date, the reply date, and the promised review on the tracker, and keep the thread out of personal email before your systems access changes.
| Audit Input | What To Collect | Used For |
|---|
| Band and midpoint | Posted range in writing | Placement percentage and the ask size |
|---|
| Level definition | Scope sentences at the new level | Matching evidence to criteria |
|---|
| Cycle calendar | Review, decision, and effective dates | Timing the request and the fallback |
|---|
| Delivery evidence | Two quarters of new-scope metrics | The calibration and comp argument |
|---|
| Refresher policy | Grant schedule for transfers | Equity ask at the new level |
|---|
Before you rely on a date or an amount on this page, check it against the California job exit rules page and the New York job exit rules page, along with the workplace remote reviews guide hub. Rules move, and those pages carry the current text.
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Frequently Asked Questions
- When should I run a comp audit after an internal transfer?
- In the first cycle inside the new scope, not the second. By then you have delivery evidence at the new level, the band is documented, and the cycle calendar is known, which is what a defensible placement argument needs.
- What if my title changed but my pay did not?
- Ask which band the new job description maps to and where you sit against the midpoint. A title with an unchanged band is a documented gap, and it is best raised as a placement question with the posted range attached rather than as a complaint.
- Can I get a raise outside the review cycle after a transfer?
- Sometimes, when the move was level-corrected or when the company has an off-cycle path. If the cycle is closed, ask for a written target range and a review date instead, so the next decision is scheduled rather than remembered.
- What evidence actually moves a transfer comp decision?
- Measurable outcomes from the new scope, matched to the new level's definition, plus the posted band and two comparable market references. Old-team history is weak evidence in a new calibration room, so write the new record early.
Sources (official record — verify before filing)
US DOL — workplace standards