New employee earning more than me

Googlewhacker

BAFE wrote: »

This is what I hate about british companies. How on earth can it be right for two people to do the same job and for one person to get paid more than the other? How is that fair?

The sooner all salaries have to be made transparent by law the better in my opinion. This stupid secrecy is also another way of keeping womens salaries lower than mens.

The whole thing stinks.

Nicely generic there. The equality laws that have come through mean that you cannot have secrecy laws on salaries. But also surely you are not saying that someone with more experience of a job should not be paid more than someone that has no experience?

MyUserName_4

I agree with others that you're just speculating on his salary and you have no concrete basis upon which to presume that he's actually earning more than you.

Also, your colleague might have been exaggerating either his salary (you never know, maybe his self esteem is linked to his earning potential or how others perceive him, so he inflates it) or his travel expenses.

I knew someone who was actually in the situation you describe, except he only found out because the trainee told him what his salary was. This prompted him to look for another job, because he was annoyed that his company didn't value him, as soon as he got an offer, the company matched it and a few months later he was even given a promotion to a senior level position.

If I were you, I'd stop making comparisons with your new colleague and reflect more on where you are and where you want to be. If you find you're not happy with your current salary or position, then address it with someone who is willing to do something about it or look for something better.

MyUserName_4

Googlewhacker wrote: »

Nicely generic there. The equality laws that have come through mean that you cannot have secrecy laws on salaries. But also surely you are not saying that someone with more experience of a job should not be paid more than someone that has no experience?

In practice though (in my experience) people who *like* to discuss salaries did so even with secrecy clauses in contracts. Some people keep quiet about how much they earn because they recognise they're overpaid, others because it doesn't seem like a polite thing to discuss.

Also more "experience" (length of service) doesn't necessarily equate to more being more skilled. There are a lot of people who have a great deal of "experience" in shirking their responsibilities.

Imagine a low skilled job that requires 6 months to attain the highest level of skill in the job. Does a job like this need to differentiate between those who have done it for 6 years from those who have done it for 6 months? :cool:

[Deleted User]

I remember applying for my job 5 years ago (also corporate IT), i negotiated an extra 2k on top of the basic graduate salary. Is it fair i was getting paid more than the other graduates? I don't really care if it's fair or not.

If you believe you're being paid under your 'value' or market rate - find another job, apply for it and when you come to leave, tell them they could have kept them on if they'd increased your salary. You might find they 'find' the extra money then

BAFE

But also surely you are not saying that someone with more experience of a job should not be paid more than someone that has no experience?

Yes thats exactly what I'm saying. Why should 2 people be paid different amounts of money for doing the same job just because one person has been doing it for longer? Doesn't mean they're any better at it or they do more of it, they've just done it for longer.

That's just basically saying that older employees should get paid more than younger employees.

The salary is relevant to the job - not the person who carries the job out.

Bobl

BAFE wrote: »

The salary is relevant to the job - not the person who carries the job out.

I disagree, the salary is relevant to the job and the effectiveness, attitude, aptitude and long term potential of the individual filling it. I have managed many people and given them different salaries and pay rises depending on their worth to the company.

Some people treat it as a job and do the bare minimum, some as a career who go the extra mile - I know who I reward.

CFC

BAFE wrote: »

But also surely you are not saying that someone with more experience of a job should not be paid more than someone that has no experience?

Yes thats exactly what I'm saying. Why should 2 people be paid different amounts of money for doing the same job just because one person has been doing it for longer? Doesn't mean they're any better at it or they do more of it, they've just done it for longer.

That's just basically saying that older employees should get paid more than younger employees.

The salary is relevant to the job - not the person who carries the job out.

I'm afraid you live in a world of one.

The facts:
a) companies will always lie to perm. staff about there being no money for pay rises
b) companies will pay as little as possible for their staff
c) new staff will generally get a better deal than established staff, because as pay rises, they have to pay more for new staff than current staff due to a)
d) pay offers often depend on the individual who happens to be in charge of recruiting that particular role at that particular time.

cathy2907

I would be saying you have reaosn to believe he has been taken on a higher salary and would like it justifed against your hands on expeirence. You have been told there is no room for increase and this you feel is unfair treatment as you trusted their honesty relating to what they have told you.

Now you feel as though there has possible been a breakdown of trust and are unhappy about it. Involve the HR department.

It may not go anywhere, but you have doucmented a conversation and your unhappy. it doesnt have to be a formal grievance.

goodluck

Bobl

cathy2907 wrote: »

I would be saying you have reaosn to believe he has been taken on a higher salary and would like it justifed against your hands on expeirence. You have been told there is no room for increase and this you feel is unfair treatment as you trusted their honesty relating to what they have told you.

Now you feel as though there has possible been a breakdown of trust and are unhappy about it. Involve the HR department.

It may not go anywhere, but you have doucmented a conversation and your unhappy. it doesnt have to be a formal grievance.

goodluck

There are no grounds for any grievance!! The company have done nothing wrong.

There are no grounds for asking for a pay rise just because someone else earns more; they can just say "that is none of your business". He should focus on his own value to the business and stop worrying about other people.

This the very reason I advise staff not to discuss salaries - someone will always earn less and feel agrieved.

BAFE

salary secrecy isn't allowed in the public sector and the sooner it's not allowed in the private sector the better in my opinion.