New colleague let slip their salary....

ktb

I started a part time weekend job in Jan 2015, which has a pro-rata salary of £18k. I work Sat & Sun.

Today my colleague, who only works on the Sat with me, told me their salary (in a conversation about something totally unrelated - I really don't think they realised it might be inappropriate) so I found out they are on £23k pro rata.

There are only the 2 of us in the Saturday team, we have identical roles/responsibilities and my colleague was recruited around October 2015.

Our job is medium-skilled, doesn't require specific qualifications but a fair amount of training (I was responsible for supervising some of their training when they started) and the only other difference is that they are a recent graduate and I left Uni quite a while ago, so have lots of years experience in the workplace and previously had a more senior level job.

I don't believe that the difference is because of anything between the 2 of us per-say (we are both very valued members of staff and happy working for our employer) however the hours are rather unsociable and I believe that my company were struggling to recruit someone to fill the position, so they upped the salary - which is totally understandable.

Of course I am now going to request a salary review. I know that I am a valued employee and my employer is very keen to retain me when I am ready to return to work full time - however I think if I just request a payrise, without making it clear that I am aware of the disparity, there is no way that they will jump up as much as £5k (pro-rata) - so can I mention I know?

I presume not, so how do I best tackle it?
Thx

tomtontom

Do you want your colleague to get into trouble? That's a possibility if you tell the bosses they have told you.

If you want a pay rise then put forward reasons why you are deserve it. It needs to be based on what you bring to the role, not what someone else is earning.

DKLS

ktb wrote: »

Of course I am now going to request a salary review. I know that I am a valued employee and my employer is very keen to retain me when I am ready to return to work full time - however I think if I just request a payrise, without making it clear that I am aware of the disparity, there is no way that they will jump up as much as £5k (pro-rata) - so can I mention I know?

I presume not, so how do I best tackle it?
Thx

I wouldn't request a salary review, based on the fact you colleague earns more, if you presented that to me saying its unfair because x gets higher, It wouldn't reach HR and would be filed in the bin.

I set up a team last year for a client, 20 similar roles, with a salary band of 22-45k.
There was two types of candidates I interviewed.

1. Candidates who would just do the interview and never mention salary, they started on 22k
2. Candidates who negotiated and justified salary, they started on 35k +
All candidates had a non disclosure clause about their salary figures to avoid unnecessary hassle.

I had the budget to pay everyone the higher salary if required, but some people just don't try, strange but they don't.

If I was you, I would ask for a pay rise at your next annual review backed up with why your worth it.

ohreally

DKLS wrote: »

All candidates had a non disclosure clause about their salary figures to avoid unnecessary hassle

I'm not suggesting there is discrimination, however this may need to be looked at.

Pay secrecy can mask discrimination. On a very basic level, how does a woman know she is getting equal pay for equal work if she does not know and is forbidden or actively discouraged from finding out what male colleagues earn?

http://www.equalityhumanrights.com/private-and-public-sector-guidance/employing-people/guidance-employers-about-their-rights-under-equality-act-2010/equal-pay/discussing-pay-colleagues/protected-discussions-colleagues-and-others-about-pay

ktb

Obviously I don't want to get them into trouble - I would never mention that they told me! I'm quite sure it would be against contracted company policy to share salary info, so would never do that.

I understand about putting my case forward for what I bring to the role etc for a standard salary review, but I know that payrises work in % and there is just no way any company would jump that far from the original salary without exceptional reason.

They obviously had an exceptional reason during the recruitment difficulties - but that just demonstrates that the role is obviously worth that to them.

Part of the context of the conversation with my colleague, was that the advert for this job was listed at £22k - do you think that I can say to my employer that I am aware of this and based on my performance (I scored 2nd highest in the company at performance review in Sept) I want to request that amount?

ktb

DKLS and ohreally - I cross posted. Thanks for your comments, just looking at them now.

xapprenticex

DKLS wrote: »

I wouldn't request a salary review, based on the fact you colleague earns more, if you presented that to me saying its unfair because x gets higher, It wouldn't reach HR and would be filed in the bin.

I set up a team last year for a client, 20 similar roles, with a salary band of 22-45k.
There was two types of candidates I interviewed.

1. Candidates who would just do the interview and never mention salary, they started on 22k
2. Candidates who negotiated and justified salary, they started on 35k +
All candidates had a non disclosure clause about their salary figures to avoid unnecessary hassle.

I had the budget to pay everyone the higher salary if required, but some people just don't try, strange but they don't.

If I was you, I would ask for a pay rise at your next annual review backed up with why your worth it.

When advertising the role, didn't you state a salary beforehand?

ktb

DKLS wrote: »

1. Candidates who would just do the interview and never mention salary, they started on 22k
2. Candidates who negotiated and justified salary, they started on 35k +


If I was you, I would ask for a pay rise at your next annual review backed up with why your worth it.

Your comments are very helpful - thank you.

The salary was advertised at a flat rate and was non-negotiable when I applied for this job - I was the first person to fill this role at the company, so there was no benchmark for what the role was worth. However by October when my colleague applied, I presume this changed due to knowing what the job entailed and the struggle and urgency to fill the role.

I was given a £1000 bonus based on my performance review in Sept, so this indicates i'm an asset and worth more to them, I just want to ask for such a specific figure raise, in the right way. Using the fact that I now know what it was advertised at in Oct seems like a reasonable way to do this, but i'm not sure.

ktb

ohreally wrote: »

http://www.equalityhumanrights.com/private-and-public-sector-guidance/employing-people/guidance-employers-about-their-rights-under-equality-act-2010/equal-pay/discussing-pay-colleagues/protected-discussions-colleagues-and-others-about-pay

Interesting reading thank you

Lily-Rose_3

ktb wrote: »

I started a part time weekend job in Jan 2015, which has a pro-rata salary of £18k. I work Sat & Sun.

Today my colleague, who only works on the Sat with me, told me their salary (in a conversation about something totally unrelated - I really don't think they realised it might be inappropriate) so I found out they are on £23k pro rata.

There are only the 2 of us in the Saturday team, we have identical roles/responsibilities and my colleague was recruited around October 2015.

Our job is medium-skilled, doesn't require specific qualifications but a fair amount of training (I was responsible for supervising some of their training when they started) and the only other difference is that they are a recent graduate and I left Uni quite a while ago, so have lots of years experience in the workplace and previously had a more senior level job.

I don't believe that the difference is because of anything between the 2 of us per-say (we are both very valued members of staff and happy working for our employer) however the hours are rather unsociable and I believe that my company were struggling to recruit someone to fill the position, so they upped the salary - which is totally understandable.

Of course I am now going to request a salary review. I know that I am a valued employee and my employer is very keen to retain me when I am ready to return to work full time - however I think if I just request a payrise, without making it clear that I am aware of the disparity, there is no way that they will jump up as much as £5k (pro-rata) - so can I mention I know?

I presume not, so how do I best tackle it?
Thx

This happened to me back in the early 2000s. A colleague let slip she had been put onto a higher salary band earlier in the year. I was at the top of a band - and had been for 3 years, and couldn't be pushed up (according to my manager,) unless I had a different job that was 'higher up' with many more responsibilities. (I already had quite a few!)

Then I discovered a colleague who was lazy, and always late, and was often carried by 4 colleagues (including me!) had been put onto the higher grade 6 months before! She was on £4K a year more than me! And she was doing the same job!

I was steaming, as I did more than her, I had more tasks, she used a mild condition as an excuse to do very little, and she had a 2 or 3 days off sick a month!

So I asked to see my manager, and told him how I felt. I went hell for leather - kept calm and didn't swear, but told him exactly how I felt. He said 'there isn't a lot I can do.' I stood up and said that I was going to be looking for another job, and I can't be bothered with a company that has so little respect for me. I went to the toilets and cried. How did SHE manage to get put up a band when it was common knowledge she was a slacker?!

About 10 minutes later, said manager called me in, and said he had spoken to the area director, and they would 'review' my salary.

The following month I was on the same salary as my work colleague. Still annoying as she was lazy, but at least I got my £4K a year raise!

Not saying this is what will happen with you, but it worked for me. So talk to your boss and tell them you're not happy!

lincroft1710

Lily-Rose wrote: »

How did SHE manage to get put up a band when it was common knowledge she was a slacker?!

Ask the manager or board member she was sleeping with.