Employer asking for three years salary history

djcat

Hello,

Can a potential new employer ask for proof of three years past salary history?

I believe that they should pay based on what I am worth, on the responsibilities I will have to take and on what I bring to the table, not on what I may have been paid in some underpaid past positions.

Can they legally take salary history into consideration rather than qualification?

Not desperate for a new job, so will happily end talks if I think that business is going too deep into my private data.


Thank you for your comments!

redcard

Most places don't even bother asking for current salary these days

PasturesNew

djcat wrote: »

I believe that they should pay based on what I am worth, on the responsibilities I will have to take and on what I bring to the table, not on what I may have been paid in some underpaid past positions.

I agree - if we find ourselves without a job we're told "take any job" - but then the future employers always want to know what you were earning in the past. It's wrong, it stinks - and proves there's no point "taking any job".

In 2000 I was earning £50k as a professional contractor.
Next job I took was more local so £23k, I took "any job"
Then I got laid off, so took "any job" again, walking distance at £14k.

So how much am I worth to return to the £50k type of job (as the jobs were different types) .... or any job?

anamenottaken

djcat wrote: »

Hello,

Can a potential new employer ask for proof of three years past salary history?

I believe that they should pay based on what I am worth, on the responsibilities I will have to take and on what I bring to the table, not on what I may have been paid in some underpaid past positions.

Can they legally take salary history into consideration rather than qualification?

Not desperate for a new job, so will happily end talks if I think that business is going too deep into my private data.


Thank you for your comments!

They can ask - and it appears they have.

Nothing unlawful if they decided to take that history into account as a criterion (for them it could be a qualification) - unless you want to stretch to sex, race or age discrimination as reason for what you were paid but I think that would be difficult to prove.

getmore4less

As them for proof of what they have paid for the job for the last 3 years because you want to see if it is worth bothering with taking the application further.

Undervalued

anamenottaken wrote: »

They can ask - and it appears they have.

Nothing unlawful if they decided to take that history into account as a criterion (for them it could be a qualification) - unless you want to stretch to sex, race or age discrimination as reason for what you were paid but I think that would be difficult to prove.

Quite.

Many people seem to have strange ideas about non existent legal prohibitions and protections!

The general principle in the UK is that everything is allowed unless it is expressly forbidden. A good example is discrimination. Perfectly legal unless it happens to be for one of a limited handful of reasons that are prohibited.

So, if the potential employer wants to come up with all sorts of (metaphorical) hurdles for you to jump over then that is very largely up to them.

AP007

djcat wrote: »

Hello,

Can a potential new employer ask for proof of three years past salary history?

I believe that they should pay based on what I am worth, on the responsibilities I will have to take and on what I bring to the table, not on what I may have been paid in some underpaid past positions.

Can they legally take salary history into consideration rather than qualification?

Not desperate for a new job, so will happily end talks if I think that business is going too deep into my private data.


Thank you for your comments!

If you have a job already then are not in 'need' of a new one as suggested I'd like to see what they have actually paid for the job over the last 3 or so years.

Yes they can ask you for proof but you do not have to provide it.

They want to see it for two reasons
To see what you are worth
To see how little they can pay you.

I would walk away if I had a job and didn't need a new one.

I see it like this most moves to a new job can give you 10% pay rise as no one would really leave a job for the same or less salary.

If the company have a budget for the job and believe me all companies do before they say 'we haven't decided on salary' then they know what they can afford to pay.

wapow

I agree with most of what AP007 has said, except about needing and wanting a job.
There's no harm in trying for a different job even if you're already in a job. Id say if you have it in you to chop and change all the time then try as many jobs as you can. Its not anyone's job to look out for the jobless and to think that you might be taking over from someone who really needs a job and who is jobless. The jobless have resources in place to secure jobs. Those in a job cannot change the fate of the jobless and vice versa.

AP007

wapow wrote: »

I agree with most of what AP007 has said, except about needing and wanting a job.
There's no harm in trying for a different job even if you're already in a job. Id say if you have it in you to chop and change all the time then try as many jobs as you can. Its not anyone's job to look out for the jobless and to think that you might be taking over from someone who really needs a job and who is jobless. The jobless have resources in place to secure jobs. Those in a job cannot change the fate of the jobless and vice versa.

I never said anything about taking a job of someone who was jobless however and no idea what resources you talk of that the jobless have in order to secure a job.

If you want the job and they ask for proof of salary you give it! If not you walk away.

wapow

I only meant to apply this to your comments is all. The rest is food for thought. By resources I mean job boards etc.


I agree with most of what AP007 has said, except about needing and wanting a job.
There's no harm in trying for a different job even if you're already in a job. Id say if you have it in you to chop and change all the time then try as many jobs as you can.

theoretica

AP007 wrote: »

They want to see it for two reasons
To see what you are worth
To see how little they can pay you.

They could also be thinking of it as a way of checking up on employment history if you haven't been in the same job for all three years.