Age and Gender Discrimination - Grievance Process

sangie595

Rizzas wrote: »

It's a multinational company, there are many directors across all offices.

You haven't answered the question I have asked twice now...

And you can add - is every other director in this multinational company female, and all of them earn more than you? So the highest paid people across the company are all female and men are routinely paid less? Because that doesn't seem remotely likely in a multinational company.

Rizzas

Actually in this division of the organisation I am the only male globally.

I guess I'm still trying to understand the concept of equal pay for equal work.

The level of responsibility, value to the business, effort required and decision making is the same for all of us. I cant think of any material reason for the disparity - other than the glaringly obvious gender and age.

Could negotiation of packaging be a material factor? Thanks Sangie.

asajj

Unfortunately, salaries are usually linked to more than one factor. I've recently experienced something similar and not happy about it but there is little I can do. One thing you can do is that instead of complaining, have a meaningful chat with your manager. Perhaps they could do something on the next pay increase cycle. Alternatively, now you know how much others earn, you may go and negotiate a better salary in a new company.

I'm no expert but I believe you have one shot at this sort of stuff. If you gonna claim discrimination, it will need to be a concrete claim.

Rizzas

asajj wrote: »

Unfortunately, salaries are usually linked to more than one factor. I've recently experienced something similar and not happy about it but there is little I can do. One thing you can do is that instead of complaining, have a meaningful chat with your manager. Perhaps they could do something on the next pay increase cycle. Alternatively, now you know how much others earn, you may go and negotiate a better salary in a new company.

I'm no expert but I believe you have one shot at this sort of stuff. If you gonna claim discrimination, it will need to be a concrete claim.

Thanks!

Yes, my first step is going to be to have a chat to try and understand the structure and how they've worked all of this out but I am going to raise my concern that it could be based on gender and age.

sangie595

Rizzas wrote: »

Actually in this division of the organisation I am the only male globally.

I guess I'm still trying to understand the concept of equal pay for equal work.

The level of responsibility, value to the business, effort required and decision making is the same for all of us. I cant think of any material reason for the disparity - other than the glaringly obvious gender and age.

Could negotiation of packaging be a material factor? Thanks Sangie.

They have given you a material reason - the other directors were recruited some years before you and have more experience!

It is not equal pay for equal work! It is equal pay for work of equal value. The comparatorss are not doing the same job, but different jobs. In such cases the argument is far more complex, because it involves comparing the value of different types of work. It is usually the case that the roles are male or female dominant.

On a general basis, there is no law that says people must be paid the same, even if they do the same job.

I would caution you about raising discrimination unless you have proof. You are likely to find that you will not be voluntarily leaving the organisation. You have already asked at least once, and they have given you an answer. If you do not accept that answer, then raise a grievance. But start throwing around suggestions that they are discriminating without evidence, and it is likely to go very wrong, very quickly.

LilElvis

The pay (and all employer related benefits) for a director are transparent - they have to be approved, usually by a remuneration committee and the shareholders. This from someone who prepared the report (then audited) of the remuneration paid to the executive and non-executive boards of a FTSE 100 multinational. Board Directors have different roles and therefore differing pay - the Chief Executive being the highest paid, the Finance Director typically earning more than the Marketing Director Etc.

As you say that there are directors across many offices then I can only assume, owing to your lack of clarification, that you are a director within a division/ subsidiary and for these there would also be pay differences across jobs and also countries. A finance director in London would earn more than one in Johannesburg.

motorguy

LilElvis wrote: »

The pay (and all employer related benefits) for a director are transparent - they have to be approved, usually by a remuneration committee and the shareholders. This from someone who prepared the report (then audited) of the remuneration paid to the executive and non-executive boards of a FTSE 100 multinational. Board Directors have different roles and therefore differing pay - the Chief Executive being the highest paid, the Finance Director typically earning more than the Marketing Director Etc.

As you say that there are directors across many offices then I can only assume, owing to your lack of clarification, that you are a director within a division/ subsidiary and for these there would also be pay differences across jobs and also countries. A finance director in London would earn more than one in Johannesburg.

I think hes a director in title per se, as opposed to an actual named director in the limited company. Happens a lot in the sales arena so companies feel they are speaking to a person of seniority.

Also, its not uncommon for directors salaries to vary greatly. When i was IT Director at a biggish firm, there was probably £40,000 variance across the 6 of us. I used to deal with "Area Sales Directors" from suppliers which i guess gave them more gravitas than Area Sales Manager.

Personally, at that level i think raising a grievance through HR is a bit below you. I'd be making my case to my manager / divisional director / whatever and if there wasnt reparatory measures put in place, i'd go elsewhere.

robatwork

Are you as I suspect an "Associate Director" which is a fairly ceremonial title and doesn't bestow rights/responsibilities, or are you a company director, named on the companies house website?

LilElvis

motorguy wrote: »

I think hes a director in title per se, as opposed to an actual named director in the limited company. Happens a lot in the sales arena so companies feel they are speaking to a person of seniority.

Also, its not uncommon for directors salaries to vary greatly. When i was IT Director at a biggish firm, there was probably £40,000 variance across the 6 of us. I used to deal with "Area Sales Directors" from suppliers which i guess gave them more gravitas than Area Sales Manager.

Personally, at that level i think raising a grievance through HR is a bit below you. I'd be making my case to my manager / divisional director / whatever and if there wasnt reparatory measures put in place, i'd go elsewhere.

I asked that question but it has gone unanswered. I worked in the US for a while and just about everyone demanded the title of President or Vice President of XYZ. Quite pathetic really - they were just managers.

motorguy

LilElvis wrote: »

I asked that question but it has gone unanswered. I worked in the US for a while and just about everyone demanded the title of President or Vice President of XYZ. Quite pathetic really - they were just managers.

Indeed.

The fact that he believes his escalation of his grievance is through HR suggests it falls in to the title role, rather than a name company director.

As i said, i'd be taking it up with my manager - whatever he / she is in the O/Ps case - senior director, SVP, whatever. If that doesnt fly then i'd just go elsewhere.