Some companies offering raises, bonuses while they can

— -- While some employees may feel lucky just to have a job in this economy and have no expectations of a pay raise this year, there are employers who are offering workers not only double-digit raises, but bonuses as well.

"We figure we might as well make hay while the sun shines," says Laura Zander, referring to her company giving raises of 5% to 30% to its 12 workers. "It made us a little nervous, but we did it."

Zander, CEO of Jimmy Beans Wool in Reno, says business was up — both in the brick and mortar business and online — 80% last year.

"Based on last year's performance, we felt we didn't want to take away what employees had done," she says, explaining that only one employee who was "exceptional" got a 30% raise. Others got smaller raises.

According to a recent survey by Hewitt Associates, a majority of companies reported they would keep raises at 3% or less this year, lowest average since the survey was started more than 32 years ago.

At Walker Sands Communications, a Chicago-based marketing and public relations firm, President Mike Santoro says raises were given to his 15 employees, from 2% to "double digits" for a top performer who also got a promotion.

"It's a tough time, but it's also tough if you lose your 'A' players," Santoro says. "You don't want to risk them going somewhere else. Right now, you don't want the cost of recruiting and training someone else."

Will Koch, owner of HolidayWorld and Splashin' Safari in Santa Claus, Ind., says his 80 full-time employees (about 1,800 workers are seasonal) also received pay raises because business has been so good the last several years that the park is adding what it calls "the world's tallest water ride" this year.

Koch says while his staff is loyal, he knows another great offer may tempt them to leave. If that happens, he says he would consider a counteroffer with more pay to get them to stay.

"I'm always willing to listen if someone comes to me for more money when they can make the case that they provide real value to us," he says. "But I don't like hearing that they need money because they're in trouble at home."