This was kind, but why do we have to have men fight our fights for us? Why do we not get what we deserve, simply because we deserve it? I appreciate that what this guy did was nice, but how I resent having to have someone "take care of me".

I actually don't like this. I don't want people seeing how much I make. I wouldn't mind if they posted a salary range per position but no one has the right to know what I make unless I want them to. Especially because I bust my ass and SHOULD be paid more for that. I'm not going to get jealous people all pissed at me or purposely leaving work at my desk because they don't like that I make more than them. I also have no right to know why someone else is making less than me. Maybe they had disciplinary issues-- that's between the employer and employee and is none of my business. I feel like this is a huge violation of privacy and encourages jealousy and resentment. I get the sentiment here, to make everything more transparent so corruption doesn't happen, but putting "Position A = 35K-45K, Position B = 45K-55K" etc is more than sufficient. I work at a bank and we have grades so it's pretty clear.

Really? How long has that been true? I'm 63 and have been employed since 17 and it has been the rule that you can't talk about your salary with ANYONE in every job I've ever held.

Waiting for all the men to come and explain that women don't actually get paid less for the same job. There is always a couple on threads like this.

F**k you sideways Angela ....

I don't think it's necessarily a bunch of evil managers with bad intentions telling people they shouldn't talk about salaries to save themselves. I think it's to avoid people from mistreating fellow employees. All these posts are very naive talking about how everyone bands together and 'Kumbaya'...but there are plenty of people I work with who do s**t work, are childish and would absolutely have an attitude of, 'she makes more money, let her do it.' Even if I make more for genuine reasons. If I got a raise because I worked longer hours, put in the time, busted my butt when other people handed off their problems to me, and I handled everything correctly, while Jane Q over there did the bare minimum and pushed anything she could off on someone else, she doesn't get to mistreat me because she now knows I make more than her in the same position. That's a disciplinary and production issue between her and our boss and it isn't my business or my fault.

This drives me nuts because every year here in the states, in my state of MA anyway, they do a minimum wage increase. At my old job, it took me almost 10 years to make 12 dollars an hour. (I started making 7.25 and got a quarter or 50c ever year, which is pretty standard for that work. I worked at a fast food place and became a manager and worked there through college). And then 4 years in a row they did $1 min wage increases. So someone starting right off the street was making 10 or 11 dollars but they didn't do any increases to our salaries if we weren't already making min wage. I work a good job now and make a decent amount but it happened again- our minimum wage went up 3 dollars (!!!) and people just starting off the street are only making about 2 dollars less than me. This is a case where I think people should absolutely discuss salaries openly, if for no other reason to bridge the gap between this disparity. When mim wage goes up so should everyone's pay.

Omg. Of course "parity" is a word because "disparity" is a word. Hadn't heard or used this. Thank you!

Absolutely true, because it's their job to give you as little pay as they can get away with (all about that almighty budget). Conversely, it's your job to try and get as much pay as you can get away with. So, yes, ALWAYS ask for more money. If they terminate you (or refuse to hire you if you are still interviewing with them), then it's not a company you want to be working at anyway.

I'm s supervisor in a gov't agency. I actually make 30k a year more than our regional Director. All thanks to our union. Anyone above supervisor level are not unionized.

I agree. Sometimes the managers are making less than you probably think. Everyone at my company used to think our managers made big bucks. This was a major company. I used to be a manager at and it was a backbreaking horrible job and I often took home less money than my employees because I was on salary. They got overtime and hourly. The amount of hours I had to put in broken down ended up being less than minimum wage. Don't always group your immediate bosses in the same category as the bigwigs--- the CEOs and CFOs and the people sitting in offices on the tops floors-- those are the people really screwing everyone over. Also small business owners-- sometimes those people are literally taking money out of their own pockets to pay employees because they don't want to lay people off or had a bad month. Restaurant owners in particular are often struggling and it may not seem like it.

Good. Screw them for their "frowned upon" talk

If they don't react they make more than you. Only when they blow their top you make more than them. Just watch their faces when you tell them.

No he didn't tell me. But we do have a joint bank account :)

That argument would hold for a joining bonus... but anyway if signing up a new (untrained & un-found & untested one) is worth 50% more than your salary, then retaining you is clearly worth at least that if not much more. "Un-found" with all companies wailing how hard it is to find staff.

You really should have

That's Bullshirt Making You Pay Back

I think this is the exception that may prove the rule. Better, more loyal employees, of longer standing SHOULD get me higher rate, better bonuses. But it can be a real soul hit, when you find out that the place you have literally shoveled feces for, because the toilet broke, and who you consider the owner your friend, pays a newbie what your current hourly rate is. The kicker, I was standing right there when it was offered. I looked. At my employer at the time and said, "Really?, You think that's a good number to start? Why don't you tell her what she can expect after a couple of years?" I left. I was so unhappy I crashed for two days. I answered all my calls and yes she called and I went back and I received a substantial raise. But it was just such a bite I never felt the same or had the same loyalty. I was a much younger woman, and I've matured a lot, but I still feel that your employee base IS your business. You can get more customers ,but good employees are worth a good pay!

Applause doesn't put food on the table.

That's pretty shitty. They should never go down unless performance suffers. That's their mistake; they should honor it. She should quit.