Merit Cycle Planning Agent

Merit cycles go over budget or out of policy when proposals are checked only at the end. During the cycle, this agent checks every manager's proposals as they come in. It compares each increase to the merit matrix by performance and position in range, checks the team total against the budget, and flags increases that push pay over range maximum. It drafts a note to each manager listing what is outside guidelines and why, and suggests a lump sum where pay would exceed the maximum. When managers revise, it rechecks. It rolls up totals for HR leaders by department. The analyst approves exceptions and the final file to payroll. Edge case: a manager gives a 0% increase to a top performer, so the agent flags it as a likely error.