UK Recruitment Glossary
Bonus Clawback
In recruiter context
Common in UK financial services (mandated by FCA/PRA rules), increasingly common in tech and senior commercial roles. Typical triggers: leaving within 12-24 months of receiving the bonus, gross misconduct discovered after the fact, or material restatement of the financials the bonus was based on. UK enforceability is mixed — courts will uphold reasonable clawback periods (up to 3 years for senior FS roles) but often won't enforce penalties dressed up as clawbacks. Candidates evaluating offers with sign-on bonuses or large variable comp should read the clawback clause carefully — a £30,000 sign-on with a 24-month clawback is effectively a £15,000 sign-on if you might move within 2 years.
Related terms
Contingent Search
The recruitment model where the agency only earns a fee if their candidate is successfully placed.
ATS (Applicant Tracking System)
Software that hiring teams use to receive, store, filter, and rank job applications.
Employee Referral
A current employee recommends you for a role, often putting your CV at the top of the pile.
Maternity Leave
UK statutory right to up to 52 weeks off around childbirth, with Statutory Maternity Pay for the fir…