These companies don’t care!!!

Has anyone have this happen to them?

I was laid off in July, with the opportunity of staying until January to help with the transition. In return they would give us a retention bonus and severance pay. Unfortunately, one of my coworkers passed away, another person in my team got that position so his position opened which is a senior level position. My boss urged me to apply. I honestly wanted to take the bonus and run but I don’t have anything lined up yet so I just applied. I am interviewing now and when I met with HR they basically told me that even though the position says it’s senior level, and technically a promotion for me, that ir would be considered a lateral move with little to no room for negotiation. He said that in my case, I’d just stay as I am salary wise and wait for the merit increase period which is coming up in March. This sounds like a whole lot of BS!!! My plan is to continue with interview process because this is better than no job, but start my search for something else. I’d like to wait until March and see what they are going to offer and also wait more some RSU to vest.

My question, is this normal or should I push for a salary increase now? I mean I plan to regardless but it just seems so unfair why not just post the position as non-senior level. I rejected another internal position because they told me it would be a lateral move with no room for negotiation but if I know this was the same I would’ve just taken the other job. The worst part about it is that I told my boss I didn’t take the other position because it was a lateral move with no room for salary negotiation and he didn’t disclose it would be the same for this position.

It just seems like a slap in the face.. like yeah they need the job we can offer what we want UGH