Challenging pay comparing against colleague

AP007

Southend1 wrote: »

DKLS wrote: »

Sounds like a great way to perpetuate illegal discrimination!

Some contracts state it is against company policy to discuss pay or pay rises and salary increase letters state the same as some places.

No need to reply as you will think I am not being helpful but stating what actually happens. I am surprised the OP knows what the other person gets as no one I have worked with would tell anyone what they got.

My boss didn't even know what I was on till I left and he though I got a LOT more! LOL

andygb

scheming_gypsy wrote: »

I didn't say they shouldn't be allowed to, but in places I've worked they state that staff should not discuss wages. Usually places like the OP's where they don't pay staff the same for doing the same job and all new external staff were paid a lot more than ones that had come up through the ranks.

When I worked in the public sector, we had fixed pay scales, so you knew how much everyone was on.
When I worked in the private sector, it was very much as you have said - frowned upon to discuss wages with colleagues.
I have known someone get disciplined for giving away information pertaining to other people's salaries.

zzzLazyDaisy

warez22 wrote: »

Wow, thanks for all the replies!

I worked for Company B for 12 years, Company B was totally absorbed by Company A and didn't retain the Company name. It became Company A.

My colleague and I have the same job titles, but I can't say for certain that we have the same contracts of employment. We had new contracts when we were taken over, but I have no access to the Contract that he is on.

Thank you.

Okay, thanks for that background. As the take-over was more than 3 years ago, it isn't particularly relevant.

It may well be historical - he started with company B six years ago on a particular salary. Three years later you came across from company A on a different salary, and the status quo has simply continued.

In that scenario, the reason for the pay differential is not simply the fact that you are a woman and he is a man (or that he works full time and you only work part-time), as it pre-dates your employment with this company (and indeed his employment with this company).

My own view would be that the best approach would be to have an initial informal meeting with the HR manager, be calm and polite, and clear about what your concern is, and why you believe it would be fairer for you and your colleague to be on the same pay scale - including the fact that your results are consistently high on the internal league table (or however you describe these results) Put your case professionally and without finger pointing or putting your colleague down (not saying you would). Ask the manager to be clear about the reason for the difference in pay. At this stage I would avoid any mention of discrimination. I would also second the comment that the HR Manager is not your friend, and may stonewall you, but provided you approach this matter professionally, this should not be relevant. Take a note book and let the HR bod see that you are taking notes of the conversation (don't let this distract your focus from the meeting/conversation, just a few bullet points/memory joggers will suffice.

Immediately after the meeting write up notes in as much detail as possible while events are fresh in your mind.

Who knows, maybe this will resolve the issue.

If not, then that is the time to consider making a formal grievance, and at that point I would raise the potential discrimination issue unless they have come up with a convincing reason for the difference.

I should say that is my take on it. Others may have a different viewpoint. It doesn't make either approach right or wrong, it is just a difference in preferred approaches.

D

Daisy

Southend1

zzzLazyDaisy wrote: »

Okay, thanks for that background. As the take-over was more than 3 years ago, it isn't particularly relevant.

It may well be historical - he started with company B six years ago on a particular salary. Three years later you came across from company A on a different salary, and the status quo has simply continued.

In that scenario, the reason for the pay differential is not simply the fact that you are a woman and he is a man (or that he works full time and you only work part-time), as it pre-dates your employment with this company (and indeed his employment with this company).

My own view would be that the best approach would be to have an initial informal meeting with the HR manager, be calm and polite, and clear about what your concern is, and why you believe it would be fairer for you and your colleague to be on the same pay scale - including the fact that your results are consistently high on the internal league table (or however you describe these results) Put your case professionally and without finger pointing or putting your colleague down (not saying you would). Ask the manager to be clear about the reason for the difference in pay. At this stage I would avoid any mention of discrimination. I would also second the comment that the HR Manager is not your friend, and may stonewall you, but provided you approach this matter professionally, this should not be relevant. Take a note book and let the HR bod see that you are taking notes of the conversation (don't let this distract your focus from the meeting/conversation, just a few bullet points/memory joggers will suffice.

Immediately after the meeting write up notes in as much detail as possible while events are fresh in your mind.

Who knows, maybe this will resolve the issue.

If not, then that is the time to consider making a formal grievance, and at that point I would raise the potential discrimination issue unless they have come up with a convincing reason for the difference.

I should say that is my take on it. Others may have a different viewpoint. It doesn't make either approach right or wrong, it is just a difference in preferred approaches.

D

Daisy

Good thorough advice there Daisy (as always! It's great to have people with a professional legal background able to offer opinions here).

I guess OP just needs to think about whether approaching HR
informally in the first instance is for the best in her particular case.

Good luck OP, come back and update us when you have news.

anamenottaken

andygb wrote: »

When I worked in the public sector, we had fixed pay scales, so you knew how much everyone was on.
When I worked in the private sector, it was very much as you have said - frowned upon to discuss wages with colleagues.
I have known someone get disciplined for giving away information pertaining to other people's salaries.

I should think so too.
Talking about your own salary with another person is one thing but providing information about those of others is entirely different.

warez22

Thank you for all the constructive advice.

I am having the meeting tomorrow and will update you all as soon as I can.

warez

paddyrg

I'd leave out the sour grapes sounding element and just go to them with the fact you feel you should be paid more. They may call your bluff and you quit for another company, or look at the numbers (take them all with you to back it up) and realise you're worth keeping.

warez22

The last thing I want to do is to come across as unprofessional and looking like it's sour grapes.

Does it come across that way?

warez

Missme

paddyrg wrote: »

I'd leave out the sour grapes sounding element and just go to them with the fact you feel you should be paid more. They may call your bluff and you quit for another company, or look at the numbers (take them all with you to back it up) and realise you're worth keeping.

I shoyuld hope feeling that you are being paid less on the basis of sex DOES comwe across as sour grapes! Will let the employer know she's not messing about.

Some info here on pay secrecy and the Equality Act 2010. You might want to keep it in mind OP.

Southend1

Missme wrote: »

I shoyuld hope feeling that you are being paid less on the basis of sex DOES comwe across as sour grapes! Will let the employer know she's not messing about.

Some info here on pay secrecy and the Equality Act 2010. You might want to keep it in mind OP.

Thanks for the link missme, that's really helpful for OP and for anyone else who suspects they may be victims of illegal discrimination in relation to their pay.