Respond when someone on your team asks for a raise

Help me respond to {{report_role}}, who has asked me for a raise, so that they feel heard, understand how pay is decided here and what happens next, and I do not promise anything I cannot keep.

What they asked for and why, as they put it:
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{{their_request}}
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How pay decisions work here (review cycle, pay ranges, who approves, what decisions are based on), as far as I know:
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{{pay_process}}
"""

My view of their work, with examples: {{work_evidence}}
What I can and cannot share about pay ranges: {{what_i_can_share}}

Produce, with a heading for each part:
1. What to say in the moment, if the request came up face to face, under 80 words: thanks for raising it, I take it seriously, and when I will come back to them.
2. Talking points for the follow-up meeting, under 200 words: how pay is decided, where their request fits in the cycle, what I will do next, and by when.
3. What to find out before that meeting: questions for HR or my own manager, such as where they sit in the pay range or whether an increase outside the cycle is possible.
4. Answers to four likely questions, such as "What do I need to show to get it?" or "What are others in my role paid?", each in two or three sentences within what I can share.
5. A written follow-up, under 120 words, confirming what we agreed.

A good response takes the request as a fair question, is honest about the process and the timing, and leaves both of us clear on the next step. For example, a line in the follow-up could read: "As we discussed, I will raise your request with HR before the April review and come back to you by March 15." This shows the form only.

Do not promise an amount, a date or an outcome, and do not hint at one, because the decision belongs to the people who approve pay. Never compare them with named colleagues or share anyone else's pay. Base any comment on their work on the examples I gave, not on general praise. If the pay process is unclear or not given, list what I need to find out first instead of describing a process that may not exist. Many places have pay transparency laws, so if the rules on sharing pay ranges are unclear, flag it to check with HR.