New colleague let slip their salary....

chuckley

OP, the way i see it, you're only mad because they've revealed their salary.

Yo had no problem with your salary before and only feel short changed after the fact.

In all seriousness, you have no clue what their contract states or how/why / they negotiated said salary.

If you demand a pay review using this as your bargaining, then you're not even worth it to the company as the day before you were fine with it.

Such is life. not everyone gets paid the same for 'the same job'. It never is.

TELLIT01

I haven't read the entire thread so apologies if this has already been said.

A company can recruit at whatever wage they wish. As the OP said, when the other person was being recruited they were having difficulty getting anybody. The salary was presumably increased because of that.
It's sadly commonplace for new staff to come into companies on higher wages than existing staff for that very reason. Is it fair? not really. Is it illegal? I doubt it.

ktb

xapprenticex wrote: »

Imagine if the person you spoke to came here to start an "I accidentally revealed how much I get paid" thread.

I'm intrigued by what you mean by this.... would you mind explaining?

ktb

chuckley wrote: »

OP, the way i see it, you're only mad because they've revealed their salary.

I'm not mad - I don't even want to get mad, I just want to use the new information to better my position! Who wouldn't want to at least try to do that?

chuckley wrote: »

If you demand a pay review using this as your bargaining, then you're not even worth it to the company as the day before you were fine with it.

Firstly I am not going to demand a pay review based on this info - I would never want to let on that my colleague accidentally revealed their salary. I just wanted to find out how best to approach that conversation, based on the fact that I have this information, but won't use it.

chuckley wrote: »

In all seriousness, you have no clue what their contract states or how/why / they negotiated said salary.

The job was apparently advertised at the higher amount - I don't think what my colleague is contracted for or negotiated is actually relevant.

chuckley wrote: »

You had no problem with your salary before and only feel short changed after the fact.

Such is life. not everyone gets paid the same for 'the same job'. It never is.

I find this attitude very negative and defeatist. When I thought we were all being paid the same for doing exactly the same job (there is a lady who works on Sunday with me who is on the same money as I am too) then my sense of fairness was in balance and it gave me an idea of what the work was worth to my company.

I don't think it is that unreasonable, in the light of evidence to the contrary, that I want to use that information to try to redress the imbalance.

getmore4less

They were advertising at a higher rate and struggling to get someone

That was the time to start negotiations.

KiKi

Hi OP
I agree that you should ask for a review. I think you should tell that you're aware they recruited onto a higher salary (you don't have to say how you know), and you'd like your salary to match.

It's never been my experience that when I've challenged my employer on salary that I've been marked as a trouble maker or sacked or it's made things difficult - I've always been able to make a good case and have had a review if I've asked for it. Once, I had to resign (and I was prepared to go) - but I got an £8k payrise. So it may work out, it may not, but if you're frustrated (and I would be) then raise it.

If they had trouble recruiting for your colleague then they'll have a problem replacing you. So if there is another opportunity to go for another job, raise it with them, see what their response is, then raise that you are considering raking taking another role and see what happens. But obviously you have to be prepared to leave if it doesn't work out and you're not prepared to live with the disparity.

One note, though: I would raise that you're aware they recruited on a higher salary, but leave it at that - don't make the disparity your argument. Make your case based on what you bring to the company, how it will be difficult to replace you etc.

Good luck!
KiKi

ktb

KiKi wrote: »

Hi OP
I agree that you should ask for a review. I think you should tell that you're aware they recruited onto a higher salary (you don't have to say how you know), and you'd like your salary to match.

It's never been my experience that when I've challenged my employer on salary that I've been marked as a trouble maker or sacked or it's made things difficult - I've always been able to make a good case and have had a review if I've asked for it. Once, I had to resign (and I was prepared to go) - but I got an £8k payrise. So it may work out, it may not, but if you're frustrated (and I would be) then raise it.

If they had trouble recruiting for your colleague then they'll have a problem replacing you. So if there is another opportunity to go for another job, raise it with them, see what their response is, then raise that you are considering raking taking another role and see what happens. But obviously you have to be prepared to leave if it doesn't work out and you're not prepared to live with the disparity.

One note, though: I would raise that you're aware they recruited on a higher salary, but leave it at that - don't make the disparity your argument. Make your case based on what you bring to the company, how it will be difficult to replace you etc.

Good luck!
KiKi

KiKi this is exactly how I feel, you have written it so eloquently & it has really clarified it for me, so thank you.

I am trying to get some evidence that it was advertised at the higher rate as at the moment it is only really heresay... i'm not 100% sure how I'm going to do that though as I didn't see the advert at the time and the agency has removed it from their website! It is going to be very obvious where I got the information from if it was never actually public knowledge.

I know I am a valued asset here and the company are really wonderful at making sure I know that. I think I have a valid argument for a payrise full stop - I just have to be careful how I tackle the fact that I want such a big % jump to bring me in line with my colleague.

Gavin83

Best way to get a pay rise is to leave. Either threatening to do so or actually moving elsewhere. Just consider that option A will only work if they value you.

I wouldn't necessarily say 'I want £23k because my colleague gets £23k' but you certainly have the knowledge they're willing to pay £23k so you are better off with the knowledge than without it.

TELLIT01

Let us know how it goes. I've a feeling it could all end in tears!

ktb

TELLIT01 wrote: »

Let us know how it goes. I've a feeling it could all end in tears!

Hahaha! Thanks, I will