Value is decided by the market. If Orion is leaving due to monetary reasons then it would seem that Orion has already been made aware of an opportunity which pl

Value is decided by the market. If Orion is leaving due to monetary reasons then it would seem that Orion has already been made aware of an opportunity which places a higher value on their work. In this example, there are two markets to consider; RapidData and everyone else. We know that Orion is worth more to everyone else, but that's no guarantee that they're worth 180% of their current pay. RapidData may be willing to pay out more in the short-term because of the opportunity cost associated with replacing Orion and keeping the business running in the interim. So, I'd say it's mostly #2. In practice though, if you wanted to leave before the raise; then you'll probably still want to leave after. The only difference being, that now your company is actively making sure they're not caught in this situation again. You will be judged more harshly and in the event that 180% does exceed your "everyone else" market value, you will eventually be let go or made to quit.