I can see the company being upset at attempting to leverage an internal position for more money at the current, but denying the move entirely is bizarre to me.

I can see the company being upset at attempting to leverage an internal position for more money at the current, but denying the move entirely is bizarre to me. I know several people who have interviewed within the company, not in an unduly secretive way, for a new role which has always come with a higher title or pay. Edit: I guess I should say this was not part of a corporate, "Interview for your job after a layoff" kind of deal. Just seeing a posting on an internal job board, and semi-privately interviewing with that line manager. An internal job hop that can happen for any number of reasons.