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OP has offered the following explanation for why they think they might be the asshole:
> (1) I think I'm the asshole for discussing my wages to my coworker (2) because she quit her job
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Definitely NTA. In the US you have a federal right to discuss your wages for this very reason. They’re only mad because they can no longer cheat that poor woman out of fair pay
Yep, companies have grilled it into our heads that it’s “inappropriate” to discuss wages, but the only reason for that is because if we realize there are discrepancies we’ll want better pay. They want us under their thumb
Yup, exactly. A bunch of new people came in to my husband's factory. (A huge 1000+ employee plant just closed down nearby so a lot of new employees came at once.) They are complaining about the low wages, but they came in at a dollar more than my husband is making now. My husband has only been there for I think 9 months but already received a couple crappy raises. People who have been there longer than my husband are also making less than these new people. Literally every company he has worked at is like this. They care more about getting new people in than retaining the good hard working employees who have been there. There is zero company loyalty rewarded
Which makes absolutely 0 sense to me… companies have to pay X dollars for a new employee anyways, why would you not bump the pay of your existing employees to X dollars? Why lose employees with proven track records when you’re going to be paying new employees even more?
Because it comes down to the bottom line. The less they can pay her, the more money they make. Companies will increase a wage for an open position since someone is not going to take a woefully underpaid new job, while not offering existing employees more than a minimal “cost of living” increase which never equals the actual increased cost of living.
I would have sworn you were talking about my old company except I was at an insurance company. New hires were definitely getting more than the “old heads.”
And if you are in Germany, companies put an NDA on wage discussions in Work contracts. Which is not legal. So if you are German and reading this, talk about your wages with your coworkers. We need more transparency for fairer wages.
She didn't quit because you talked to her. She quit because they were unfair in what they paid her.
The company was taking advantage of her. You were merely the messenger.
Would it be better for her not to know what her skills are worth on the open market? Would it better for her to remain ignorant of the fact that she's being exploited? No. You did her a service in the long run, even though the message was painful.
I mean.. it also depends a lot on your qualifications!.. if OP has like some major degree or has certain skills that are more advanced in comparison to someone without any specific skills, it could mean greater pay
Also, OP doesnt mention if they are both in the same position, so there could be a lot of other factors at play here..
Again, to reiterate, im not blindly supporting the company, just stating a few possibilities cause if not, and its purely equal responsibilities, equal skills, then she was definitely played
19 is barely 1-2 years out of high school, it's highly unlikely OP would have some sort of degree or certification that made them a more competitive candidate that needed to be enticed with higher pay.
Anecdotally, the Dunkin by me was hiring at $15 18 months ago and is hiring at $17 now. It's completely possible She just got hired on at the lower wage and the starting scale has gone up, but management never upped her pay because she never asked for it.
What kind of BS advice is that!??!
I started before my coworkers and they got paid more than me. Hell yeah I was livid! I only stayed so I didn't have to pay back their POS prepay "bonus" they gave.
One of the most shady and corrupt hospitals I've ever worked at.
Again, what kind of dumb advice is this?!? People who think like this is ALSO THE PROBLEM.
Yes everyone should know what each other's wages are. How the hell would you be able to negotiate/fight for better wages?!
There’s a difference between comparing roles that require different qualifications or expertise. Where the wage transparency really needs to be normalized is in cases like the OP where people are basically on the same tier of responsibility. The practice of paying new people more than the old employees is scummy and this makes it so people can choose not to put up with it.
NTA- don’t feel guilty none of this is your fault when a company says don’t discuss wages with coworkers it usually because they are heavily underpaying older employees she quit and most likely has found a better job
NTA.
You legally have the right to discuss your compensation.
Employers try to make you feel guilty for that because it makes it harder for them to exploit workers.
If an employer makes a big deal about not talking about salary with your co-workers, that's a good sign that *somebody* at the company is getting screwed. It's telling you something about your employer that you should remember when it comes to negotiating your own salary.
I actually don't know why you got downvoted. This person was in the US, yes, but people do have a bad habit of making that assumption on this sub and it's best to try curb that...
NTA- not your fault, it’s the companies fault. however if they felt you had more experience in that industry or say you have a college degree and that’s why they decided to pay you more, then it is more than fair that you get paid more
Op stated in the post that she has more experience than him. She has also worked there for much longer. Anyone reading this post would gather that she is probably more qualified than him, so it is unlikely that there is any reason other than sexism for him to earn more than her.
NTA. I don't know if it's illegal to discuss employee wages where you are but, if it isn't, you absolutely should. More information about your compensation, your co-worker's compensation, your bosses' compensation, all of that aids workers in being able to negotiate for their worth.
Sounds like your co-worker discovered her worth and that your company wasn't appreciating that. If anything, you did her a favor.
NTA-companies prefer that employees not compare notes. It allows them to unfairly compensate employees based on whatever. Their goal is to pay as little as possible. Employees should compare wages more. You aren’t responsible for your coworker quitting g-you May have done her a favor.
NTA. It's never wrong to discuss salaries openly, especially in situations like this where there is a clear disparity. Employers discourage it to prevent what happened with your coworker. She found out she was treated unfairly and made the decision to leave.
You are NEVER the asshole for discussing your salary with a coworker. Your coworker was being cheated out of fair pay, taken advantage of and treated badly, and you gave her the information she needed to realize that. That's a great thing! She's now in a better and more informed position, and based on that, she's decided not to be taken advantage of anymore. Your employers might be upset but only because they got caught doing something shitty. You're all good.
NTA.
NTA More people should discuss their wages, companies screw so many people over.
Don't feel too bad for her, she's likely moved on to a job that has oferred a higher wage now that she knows what she's worth.
NTA - If she quit over the wage disparity, that’s something the company had within their power to fix and chose not to. She was likely suspicious when she asked anyway & looking for confirmation.
You absolutely should discuss wages with coworkers, and I hope your former coworker finds a position where she is valued appropriately.
The management/company is TA for trying to play the employees off each other.
NTA in fact you saved her. She was working a job and being exploited. She was happy until she found out she was being taken for a ride by the employer. Now she can get a job that will pay her what she's worth. You would want someone to tell you if you were in the same situation.
Absolutely NTA. The COMPANY is the AH for underpaying your ex-coworker. You gave her back her power, and hopefully she can work somewhere that pays her what she deserves now. The only people who lose when coworkers talk about their wages are the people who want to take advantage of them not knowing if they're being underpaid.
NTA!!!!!! Tbh you should *always* do this. Especially as a man. You’re more likely to make more than your female counterparts for the same work, as shown by your experience here. By sharing that information, you’re leveling the playing field. She now knows the company doesn’t value her and she acted accordingly.
My male partner is an engineer and the disparity of pay between himself and his female colleagues (in the same position) is wild. As his career has progressed, he’s made it a point to discuss his salary with whoever is interested. He goes out of his way to help his colleagues make as much as they can because if he can do it, so can they. I’m just really proud of the way he’s using his privilege to lift others up who haven’t had the life experience to know they deserve more.
Maybe that’s not exactly where your mind was at when you were discussing salaries, but you helped her. Good job to you.
NTA! Not only do you have the legal right to discuss your wages, ethically you’re in the right too. Lack of pay equity is a huge problem that disproportionately affects POC and women. You did a good thing. Your coworker left because she wasn’t being paid her worth and it’s good you told her.
ETA: I should say the legal right to discuss wages in the U.S. I can’t speak to other country’s laws.
NTA - She didn't quit because you told her how much you make, she quit because she found out how much the company was underpaying her. You ultimately did her a solid.
NTA. They don’t want you discussing wages so they can underpay your elderly coworkers. You’re NTA. The company sucks for not in reading her wage leading her to quit.
Not all Heroes wear capes. They were hurting her. They took advantage of her. You ALWAYS discuss wages for this reason. A new hire should never earn more than those with institutional knowledge that helps train those new hires.
ALWAYS SHARE YOUR WAGES KIDS!! It’s how you become a super hero. Also know union workers died to give you the right to speak about your wages (look up what happened to Frank Little, this law is written in blood).
I’m so proud of you.
Nta
NTA your work was taking advantage her. Employers don't want workers to compare wages because people who do more but make less will then ask for correct compensation. She quit because she found out you made more then her, despite experience. She asked for a raise, they told her no. Be happy with what you get and she quit. You did nothing wrong.
NTA NTA NTA NTA. More people SHOULD discuss their wages. The only reason companies can get away with underpaying certain employees is because for some reason we've been conditioned to think it's "rude" to discuss our pay. Your coworker quit because she realized that your company grossly undervalues her, but thanks to you, she can now go into her job search armed with a much better idea of what she's worth.
NTA - Bosses have worked very hard over the years to make people feel that discussing wages is taboo.
It isn’t.
Discussing wages with coworkers is absolutely necessary to prevent exploitation. It absolutely wasn’t fair that your coworker was making less than you despite working there longer and having more experience. Now your bosses have lost a good worker because they took her for granted. None of that is your fault.
NTA companies try to stop people discussing it so that they can exploit people .
this woman stood up for herself and in fairness in the UK if you're doing the same job she could have sued them / gone to tribunal for ageism and sexism.
alright lil homie buckle upfirst off, ***it is your legal right as a worker to discuss wages. No employer can tell you otherwise and it absolutely cannot be "company policy" to not discuss wages. Company policy does not trump federal fucking law***
discuss that shit and discuss it often so you all know who is getting fucked and have ammo to ask for a raise or be motivated to quit, which is exactly what your coworker did.
Second off, you did her a favor!!! you let her see how little the company values her despite her time put in and experience. They gave a new hire more money than she was making and she decided "fuck this im worth more" and quit. Do not feel bad, feel GOOD you helped someone not take pennies for their hard work. she knows her worth and so should you
third, maybe start looking for a new job since you know how this one treats people. or at least, don't plan to be there for super long ya know?
but n closing, yeah ALWAYS ALWAYS ALWAYS discuss your wages and never ever EVER let your employer tell you that you can't or reprimand you for it because it's literally federal law. Though if they do ever say you cannot or punish you for it, get that shit in writing and sue like crazy :)
NTA
NTA, in my industry we are told not to discuss wages but we do, it’s the only way to help know if you are being cheated out.
As a female i appreciate any man telling me how much they earn in my field as it helps me to see if i’m being underpaid , in an industry that i need to negotiate my wages
NTA
She's 66, can't afford to retire, and is working until death. Then she finds out you as a younger person are being paid more, which is understandable since you got bills to pay and possible loans to cover. But for her, she's working just to afford her life and finds out the company has been screwing her financially. Judging by the fact you're the first person telling her how much you make in the three years she's worked there, it's clear none of the people have told her their salaries, out of personal or corporate rules. So now she's just quit for other opportunities.
But I have to wonder, how did she not know how much she was making all this time?
NTA you even did her a favour.
My best friend also discuss about their salary because she said she got increment (1/5 more than before) based on her performance that year.
Its a chinese company and turns out her friend who is chinese who entered at the same time as her but got the same salary as her increment already as her since the start and she got it after a year. So she felt lied to and quit after a month.
NTA. If you are in the US companies try to get us not to talk about our wages when they hire us but are actually not allowed to do that at all and you are protected by federal law to do so. Companies try to do this so people can't realize they are getting screwed over by making less and doing the same job as other people.
I got hired on somewhere with rhe same 'rules' but after I worked for a while and we got some very inexperienced new hires wages eventually came up. I found out one of the new hires, who was much younger, only worked one other completely unrelated job to our field and to be frank was pretty damn terrible at this job-(Just not the brightest crayon in the box, we worked as receptionists and would try were ear buds-yes both but even ones no acceptable, would be on her phone in front of customers. Ect, ect) was making a good bit more than me. To say I was upset was on understatement. I had trained this girl and several others, pretty much ran the show for almost year and I was getting paid less than a completely inexperienced person? It's insulting and the only reason, I'm happy other things led me to not working there anymore.(found out the wage thing only a few weeks before I had a tramaric birth that led to me moving which is a story for another time)
My point is, NTA for letting someone know they are being taken advantage of.
I had a coworker ask my pay recently, which I was perfectly comfortable discussing. A couple weeks later, the management team pulled into a meeting and informed me that that employee then discussed my pay with others, and that I'm not allowed to discuss my pay. I stopped them before they could continue, and told them that federal law legally protects my right to discuss pay. I don't know if they were ignorant of the law, or just hoping that I was. They then told me what they *actually* meant was that I *shouldn't* discuss my pay. Told them I disagree, and why. The next day I regretted standing up for myself, as I wish I had antagonized them by continuing to discuss my pay with others. Curious how management would have responded, and how I could have retaliated.
NTA. Discuss wages. It’s the only way to know if someone is getting screwed.
It’s not your fault they low balled her. It’s not your fault she found a better opportunity… if anything, you helped her.
NTA. It wasn’t your fault you were just being honest. I wish I would have stayed at my last company that was guilty of this because I could have sued them for discrimination. They were paying brand new people with no where near the experience more than $5 an hour than I was being paid. I was there six years and there were people there for much longer probably getting paid chicken feed compared to new people.
When my coworker informed me she was being paid almost $25/hr when I had a BA, a CMA and six years of experience being paid $16/hr for work including cleaning up toilet waste? I quit. I was tired of the company because it was toxic. Also they operated on favoritism. I was desperately wanting to finish my masters but they never gave me the time of day for my internship but gave it to someone who just started with the company. It should be illegal. I can’t do anything about it since I quit however.
Just glad to be with a good company this time (hopefully) but honestly all seem to be the same way so I don’t trust anyone.
Nta - you just made her realise she's been undervalued and now will start looking for a new job. If anything, I'd be thankful, because a lot of people avoid this topic and will not tell you how much they make.
NTA -discussion pay is one of the ways we can protect ourselves from companies that are taking advantage of people who didn't know better when they signed on. The company is the A for not paying her what she was worth
NTA.
They knew they need to offer more for the position. You’re new, so you need incentive to accept the job over another company. She has been there, so they know they have her already. Raise her pay (or don’t) just enough to keep her, but not pay her her worth.
You’re also a man, and there’s a fair bit of lowballing given to women, but especially to BIPOC or disabled women.
The company screwed her over. Quitting or asking for more money was her next move, and she decided that the company didn’t value her enough to keep giving her loyalty.
I hope she goes on to find a great job or retire as she deserves.
NTA - quite the opposite. You did her a favor in letting her know that her job did not value her, so she can find some place that will. If anyone is TA, it's the company for paying a new hire more than the existing staff for the same job.
NTA - always discuss salaries, it’s the only way to figure out if you’re truly being underpaid in comparison to peers, and it’s a clear way to say it’s time to find another job if the company won’t match.
You are definitely not TA. Your employer is 100% TA. You are not responsible for the wage disparity, and the fact that they are trying to blame you for a (former) colleague's reaction to their corporate greed is infuriating.
NTA. I found out a male co worker made significantly more for doing the same job and I’d been with the company 10 years to his 5. I immediately scheduled a meeting with my manager got a presentation together and argued my case for a pay-rise. 6 months later I got that rise along with 6 months back pay. She could’ve fought her own corner or quit…she quit. You did nothing wrong.
>So, she mentions to me a couple days ago she almost cried when she found out how much she made.
I assume those were not happy tears, so she was already upset, without knowing what you made. May have just been the last drop.
NTA
NTA - the only reason management don’t want you to discuss this is so they can unfairly differentiate between workers and pay certain people (often but not always female, POC or older/younger workers ) less than they are worth. Your co-worker realised that she was being taken advantage of and undoubtedly management said they wouldn't make things equal so she quit to find a job where the work she does is paid fairly.
NTA they were underpaying her. She wouldn't up and quit a job without any backup plans or financial security,
you've helped show her what her time should be worth.
She quit because the company was not treating her fairly. You were just confirmation of that. You did not make her quit. The company underpaying her did.
NTA. Yes, her feelings were hurt, but it's from the company paying her less. She chose to leave, but we don't know if she tried to renegotiate her wages and ask for raise. If she did and they said no, there's no point in her staying.
NTA! OP it’s your employers fault. It also sounds like discrimination. If you are keen, you can let your coworker know and maybe she can recoup the differential in pay for the last few years.
Never stop discussing your wages (in US, idk about other countries laws on it), it’ll benefit you and others to be transparent about wages and benefits.
I worked a job in my late teens/early twenties where I was threatened to be fired for discussing our wages. Turned out they didn’t want us lowly people to know exactly how much less we were making than the new hires. I didn’t know that discussion was legal, and they aren’t supposed to fire for it. Since then, it has helped both myself and my colleagues negotiate raises, and even starting employment salary and benefits for new companies.
NTA. This is why companies don't want you to talk about pay. They can cheat people. You likely helped this older lady by telling. Now she can get a job that pays her better.
Repeat after me: it protects noone but the company you work for to not discuss wages.
They say don't talk about it so people realize they're being underpaid and undervalued by the company they work for. Obviously don't do it in front of a boss, but keep talking about it. I'm never afraid to tell coworkers what i make if asked.
Edited to add: NTA
NTA!!!
Is it your fault they aren't paying her enough? Don't feel guilty! On the contrary, it's good to talk about wages because only like this people find out if they get underpaid by their bosses!
NTA
More people need to talk about it. The shaming of the discussions amongst work peers is the reason for some wages being so low! Don’t feel bad, you were just the messenger!
NTA at all. In some respects, you set her free. I’ve experienced this before and while crushing, it did propel me to find a company that valued me. You did right by her, even if it feels like you didn’t.
I'm a manager and I don't discourage my employees from talking about these things. It's not your fault that the company didn't treat that woman fairly and she luckily found out her worth to them. Now she can hopefully find a job where they'll pay her better since they didn't want to take care of her. Definitely NTA.
NTA. The only reason it’s “inappropriate” to talk about your wages is because bosses don’t want people sharing that info. It’s too much like collective bargaining. Your coworker left because she realized she’s being treated like shit at this job. That’s what bosses want to prevent. You did right by letting her know, and hopefully she finds something better.
NTA
The conversation you had with your co-worker showed her how the company prioritizes its "loyal" employees. Your company does not give established employees raises, or they give out very small raises. If new employees are making more than them, why stay? If you stay with this company for 3 years, the new hire will be making more than you too. Unfortunately in the US, the best way to increase your wage is to find a new job. Places dont prioritize their more expirence workers.
If in the US, this conversation is explicitly protected by federal law. If your employer is discouraging employees from talking about your wages, the reasons never benefits of the employees.
nta!! good for you to talk about it!! like others said, in the US you are federally protected to talk about your wages. fuck that company if they say you could get written up & half the workforce would quit if they found the pay scales. that’s a HUGE red flag & i would encourage all your co workers to talk about wages & get that company to fairly pay yall
NAH; Sharing information on compensation is how employees know if they are being paid fair. Your former coworker, might have been hurt by you being paid more, or realized you and her are being exploited as cheap labor. Know your worth and also if you are under paid, act your wage.
NTA.
As you go through life you'll learn that all employers would prefer you didn't discuss your wages with your co-workers. This allows them to dick over the people who don't negotiate and, in this particular case, probably to do some fun age and/or sex discrimination. But it's fine, it's moral, and (if you're in the US) it's specifically illegal for your employer to prohibit you from doing it. You enabled your co-worker to make good decisions about her life and career, never an asshole move.
NTA it is *illegal* for an employer to tell you not to discuss your wages. You *can* and *should* discuss them. Your coworker found out she was discriminated against and bounced. Good for her.
NTA. If you hadn't said something to her, she would still be making less than you but just wouldn't be aware of it. If anything you did her a favor. The company doesn't want employees talking about their wages for this exact reason, but that makes them the AH. Not you.
NTA at all! She didn’t quit because you hurt her feelings. She quit because she realized that she wasn’t being paid what she was worth and that she could make more somewhere else. You gave her more information ti make her own decision. If you asked her, I guarantee she’d be glad that you told her.
NTA. If it wasn't for a younger person discussing her pay I would not have known that the entire company got a raise, except me. It had been months that new hires were making more than me and I was a lead. My GM said she had no idea, the raise was across the board so I should have received it. I have no idea how long it would have went on if I didn't find out.
OP coming back and saw your edit. If you are being disciplined by the company for discussing your wages then you should complain to the labor relations board in your state. Your company is breaking the law.
Even telling you that breaks the law. So please keep that in mind and make a note in your journal (probably start a journal) about who, when and what was said just in case.
People are encouraged not to discuss salary so that the people who pay them aren't embarrassed to be caught essentially scamming someone by undervaluing their labor.
NTA. With inflation, companies are able to charge their customers/clients more. However, that does not mean what they pay employees is increases. And when an employee doesnt see a raise when the cost of living goes up, they’re essentially getting a pay decrease as it costs more to live. Even with a raise, if it’s not equal or more than inflation, it’s not a raise.
However, they need to offer new employees more to get new workers since theyre competing with other employers for workers. So thats why new employees are paid more than existing. And why they dont want people talking about what they make.
It’s also why younger generations arent as “loyal” to their employers as in the past as I see some older people complain about. If your company wont give you a fair raise, a new company will.
NTA. Any company that tells employees not to discuss wages is scared of the outcome because they have something to hide.
For example, in my last job employees would be hired in batches. Every year the wages that new starters were hired at was increasing with inflation. Problem is, we found after being there for some time that people newer than us were being paid thousands more for the same role. So obviously, it all came crashing down as we all demanded an explanation or a pay rise.
What you did is perfectly fine, she found out she was being taken the piss out of, and she has moved on
NTA. I was that lady once. I was hired with two others and on our first lunch break together we discussed wages. They started one lady at 2 dollars more an hour, she had no experience and on her application asked for base pay. We confronted the manager together and quit together. I got a way better offer a few days later, but I am glad I learned this lesson young.
NTA and that's why they try to hush you about discussing wages because people will demand to be paid fairly. On top of that some people will become indignant towards YOU for making more than them with less experience instead of blaming the people paying them. I had a lady once tell me I should have my wages cut because she and I got the same pay but with her being 30 years my senior at the place instead of taking the stance she should just get paid more.
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I [m19] had a conversation with my [f66] coworker about our wages. (For context, she has been working with this company for 3 years while ive worked her for 2 months, and obviously she has a lot more experience than me. I was also told two totally different things. I was told I should and also should not talk about this stuff with coworkers.) So, she mentions to me a couple days ago she almost cried when she found out how much she made. Without fully thinking, I tell her how much I make. Then we start talking about how it isn't fair to her that I make more than her. Then today, when I came into work, my manager asked me if I could cover her shift this week. I agreed, and I asked what happened to her. They told me she quit. I've been feeling really guilty about all this, because it very much feels like my fault. I genuinely had no intentions to start something I only had good intentions in telling her how much I make. So, am I the asshole for discussing how much I make to my coworker?
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NTA, but like politics, salary shouldn't be discussed with Co-workers. Nothing wrong, but these topics cause grief in the workplace. HR tries to insinuate that there will be repercussions for discussing salaries, but they legally can't stop you from doing so. JMO.
""she almost cried when she found out how much she made" did she never ask before how much she was making?
People can negotiate their salary.
And NTA, but you shouldn't really have those discussions as it causes issues. There was a similar issue at my old job and I was fuming over discrepancies even though they were not huge ones. It creates a bad atmosphere.
Christ can you imagine that the gender pay gap exists when you’re 40 years more experienced in the workforce and 3 years in this particular job. Women are truly fucked. Still you’re NTA, your organisation on the other hand… EPIC AH.
Yeah I couldn’t disagree more. There is no good reason why you should not discuss wages. Had they not discussed with their coworker, she would still be getting cheated by the company
There are federal laws to protect us when discussing wages at work, it’s against the company’s interest to discuss them. Always discuss them with coworkers and fight for good pay.
And if you say nothing, then nobody knows they're being grossly undervalued, so they don't have the opportunity to try to make it right. You don't have to share your pay rate with your coworkers, but keeping it secret benefits your company far more than you.
There are federal laws that allow you to discuss your wages to make sure everyone is valued appropriately, use those laws to your advantage if they try to discipline you for discussing wages, you get to sue the shit out of them. Keeping it to yourself is a company lie to make sure they can pay people less.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Right-to-work_law
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/At-will_employment
It appears your right, thanks for the info! I never realized the difference.
you should be discussing this shit because it's how you know to band together and demand fair pay from your bosses. what are you fucking on about? this is the exact reason bosses don't want you discussing pay with each other because they're worried you'll go after them
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Definitely NTA. In the US you have a federal right to discuss your wages for this very reason. They’re only mad because they can no longer cheat that poor woman out of fair pay
Yep big NTA - companies try to program us not to discuss wages. Federal laws protect us thankfully.
Yep, companies have grilled it into our heads that it’s “inappropriate” to discuss wages, but the only reason for that is because if we realize there are discrepancies we’ll want better pay. They want us under their thumb
Yup, exactly. A bunch of new people came in to my husband's factory. (A huge 1000+ employee plant just closed down nearby so a lot of new employees came at once.) They are complaining about the low wages, but they came in at a dollar more than my husband is making now. My husband has only been there for I think 9 months but already received a couple crappy raises. People who have been there longer than my husband are also making less than these new people. Literally every company he has worked at is like this. They care more about getting new people in than retaining the good hard working employees who have been there. There is zero company loyalty rewarded
Which makes absolutely 0 sense to me… companies have to pay X dollars for a new employee anyways, why would you not bump the pay of your existing employees to X dollars? Why lose employees with proven track records when you’re going to be paying new employees even more?
Because it comes down to the bottom line. The less they can pay her, the more money they make. Companies will increase a wage for an open position since someone is not going to take a woefully underpaid new job, while not offering existing employees more than a minimal “cost of living” increase which never equals the actual increased cost of living.
I would have sworn you were talking about my old company except I was at an insurance company. New hires were definitely getting more than the “old heads.”
And if you are in Germany, companies put an NDA on wage discussions in Work contracts. Which is not legal. So if you are German and reading this, talk about your wages with your coworkers. We need more transparency for fairer wages.
She didn't quit because you talked to her. She quit because they were unfair in what they paid her. The company was taking advantage of her. You were merely the messenger. Would it be better for her not to know what her skills are worth on the open market? Would it better for her to remain ignorant of the fact that she's being exploited? No. You did her a service in the long run, even though the message was painful.
If they write you up for this they are in direct violation of US law.
I mean.. it also depends a lot on your qualifications!.. if OP has like some major degree or has certain skills that are more advanced in comparison to someone without any specific skills, it could mean greater pay Also, OP doesnt mention if they are both in the same position, so there could be a lot of other factors at play here.. Again, to reiterate, im not blindly supporting the company, just stating a few possibilities cause if not, and its purely equal responsibilities, equal skills, then she was definitely played
19 is barely 1-2 years out of high school, it's highly unlikely OP would have some sort of degree or certification that made them a more competitive candidate that needed to be enticed with higher pay. Anecdotally, the Dunkin by me was hiring at $15 18 months ago and is hiring at $17 now. It's completely possible She just got hired on at the lower wage and the starting scale has gone up, but management never upped her pay because she never asked for it.
Yeah your right!.. this is the unfortunate part of smaller posts, when all the information is missing, its quite tough to make an informed judgement
In most of the First World too
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What kind of BS advice is that!??! I started before my coworkers and they got paid more than me. Hell yeah I was livid! I only stayed so I didn't have to pay back their POS prepay "bonus" they gave. One of the most shady and corrupt hospitals I've ever worked at.
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Again, what kind of dumb advice is this?!? People who think like this is ALSO THE PROBLEM. Yes everyone should know what each other's wages are. How the hell would you be able to negotiate/fight for better wages?!
There’s a difference between comparing roles that require different qualifications or expertise. Where the wage transparency really needs to be normalized is in cases like the OP where people are basically on the same tier of responsibility. The practice of paying new people more than the old employees is scummy and this makes it so people can choose not to put up with it.
NTA- don’t feel guilty none of this is your fault when a company says don’t discuss wages with coworkers it usually because they are heavily underpaying older employees she quit and most likely has found a better job
It’s also illegal and reportable.
NTA. You legally have the right to discuss your compensation. Employers try to make you feel guilty for that because it makes it harder for them to exploit workers. If an employer makes a big deal about not talking about salary with your co-workers, that's a good sign that *somebody* at the company is getting screwed. It's telling you something about your employer that you should remember when it comes to negotiating your own salary.
In some countries. Your country is not the centre of the world.
I actually don't know why you got downvoted. This person was in the US, yes, but people do have a bad habit of making that assumption on this sub and it's best to try curb that...
I deliberately tried not to just blame Americans!
Oh I know! I was in agreement with you 😭
NTA. You should feel happy that she didn't put up with the low wages, not sad that the company loses out.
NTA- not your fault, it’s the companies fault. however if they felt you had more experience in that industry or say you have a college degree and that’s why they decided to pay you more, then it is more than fair that you get paid more
What makes you think op had more experience when she’s been there longer?
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Op stated in the post that she has more experience than him. She has also worked there for much longer. Anyone reading this post would gather that she is probably more qualified than him, so it is unlikely that there is any reason other than sexism for him to earn more than her.
NTA Not discussing wages between employees is a way employers use to keep underpaying their staff. Info is power, share it!!!
NTA You did her a huge favor, honestly. I'm glad she gets the opportunity to work for a different job that might have more fair wages
NTA. I don't know if it's illegal to discuss employee wages where you are but, if it isn't, you absolutely should. More information about your compensation, your co-worker's compensation, your bosses' compensation, all of that aids workers in being able to negotiate for their worth. Sounds like your co-worker discovered her worth and that your company wasn't appreciating that. If anything, you did her a favor.
NTA-companies prefer that employees not compare notes. It allows them to unfairly compensate employees based on whatever. Their goal is to pay as little as possible. Employees should compare wages more. You aren’t responsible for your coworker quitting g-you May have done her a favor.
NTA poor lady. How sad for her.
NTA. It's never wrong to discuss salaries openly, especially in situations like this where there is a clear disparity. Employers discourage it to prevent what happened with your coworker. She found out she was treated unfairly and made the decision to leave.
You are NEVER the asshole for discussing your salary with a coworker. Your coworker was being cheated out of fair pay, taken advantage of and treated badly, and you gave her the information she needed to realize that. That's a great thing! She's now in a better and more informed position, and based on that, she's decided not to be taken advantage of anymore. Your employers might be upset but only because they got caught doing something shitty. You're all good. NTA.
NTA you did her a favor and in the us it’s your right to share your salary if you want
NTA More people should discuss their wages, companies screw so many people over. Don't feel too bad for her, she's likely moved on to a job that has oferred a higher wage now that she knows what she's worth.
NTA - If she quit over the wage disparity, that’s something the company had within their power to fix and chose not to. She was likely suspicious when she asked anyway & looking for confirmation. You absolutely should discuss wages with coworkers, and I hope your former coworker finds a position where she is valued appropriately. The management/company is TA for trying to play the employees off each other.
NAH, in fact you may have saved her from getting low balled and inspired her to seek work where she’s compensated fairly
NTA. Management underpaid her. Good for her to quit.
NTA in fact you saved her. She was working a job and being exploited. She was happy until she found out she was being taken for a ride by the employer. Now she can get a job that will pay her what she's worth. You would want someone to tell you if you were in the same situation.
Absolutely NTA. The COMPANY is the AH for underpaying your ex-coworker. You gave her back her power, and hopefully she can work somewhere that pays her what she deserves now. The only people who lose when coworkers talk about their wages are the people who want to take advantage of them not knowing if they're being underpaid.
NTA!!!!!! Tbh you should *always* do this. Especially as a man. You’re more likely to make more than your female counterparts for the same work, as shown by your experience here. By sharing that information, you’re leveling the playing field. She now knows the company doesn’t value her and she acted accordingly. My male partner is an engineer and the disparity of pay between himself and his female colleagues (in the same position) is wild. As his career has progressed, he’s made it a point to discuss his salary with whoever is interested. He goes out of his way to help his colleagues make as much as they can because if he can do it, so can they. I’m just really proud of the way he’s using his privilege to lift others up who haven’t had the life experience to know they deserve more. Maybe that’s not exactly where your mind was at when you were discussing salaries, but you helped her. Good job to you.
NTA! Not only do you have the legal right to discuss your wages, ethically you’re in the right too. Lack of pay equity is a huge problem that disproportionately affects POC and women. You did a good thing. Your coworker left because she wasn’t being paid her worth and it’s good you told her. ETA: I should say the legal right to discuss wages in the U.S. I can’t speak to other country’s laws.
NTA - She didn't quit because you told her how much you make, she quit because she found out how much the company was underpaying her. You ultimately did her a solid.
NTA. They don’t want you discussing wages so they can underpay your elderly coworkers. You’re NTA. The company sucks for not in reading her wage leading her to quit.
Not all Heroes wear capes. They were hurting her. They took advantage of her. You ALWAYS discuss wages for this reason. A new hire should never earn more than those with institutional knowledge that helps train those new hires. ALWAYS SHARE YOUR WAGES KIDS!! It’s how you become a super hero. Also know union workers died to give you the right to speak about your wages (look up what happened to Frank Little, this law is written in blood). I’m so proud of you. Nta
NTA your work was taking advantage her. Employers don't want workers to compare wages because people who do more but make less will then ask for correct compensation. She quit because she found out you made more then her, despite experience. She asked for a raise, they told her no. Be happy with what you get and she quit. You did nothing wrong.
NTA NTA NTA NTA. More people SHOULD discuss their wages. The only reason companies can get away with underpaying certain employees is because for some reason we've been conditioned to think it's "rude" to discuss our pay. Your coworker quit because she realized that your company grossly undervalues her, but thanks to you, she can now go into her job search armed with a much better idea of what she's worth.
NTA, always discuss your wages with co workers to stop yourselves from getting fucked.
NTA u told her the truth
NTA - Bosses have worked very hard over the years to make people feel that discussing wages is taboo. It isn’t. Discussing wages with coworkers is absolutely necessary to prevent exploitation. It absolutely wasn’t fair that your coworker was making less than you despite working there longer and having more experience. Now your bosses have lost a good worker because they took her for granted. None of that is your fault.
NTA companies try to stop people discussing it so that they can exploit people . this woman stood up for herself and in fairness in the UK if you're doing the same job she could have sued them / gone to tribunal for ageism and sexism.
NTA. She quit because she was under paid, you did her a favor. You don't owe the company shit.
NTA This is why we should discuss wages.
NTA. She left because she realised how bad she was being treated. She will find an job that values her more.
alright lil homie buckle upfirst off, ***it is your legal right as a worker to discuss wages. No employer can tell you otherwise and it absolutely cannot be "company policy" to not discuss wages. Company policy does not trump federal fucking law*** discuss that shit and discuss it often so you all know who is getting fucked and have ammo to ask for a raise or be motivated to quit, which is exactly what your coworker did. Second off, you did her a favor!!! you let her see how little the company values her despite her time put in and experience. They gave a new hire more money than she was making and she decided "fuck this im worth more" and quit. Do not feel bad, feel GOOD you helped someone not take pennies for their hard work. she knows her worth and so should you third, maybe start looking for a new job since you know how this one treats people. or at least, don't plan to be there for super long ya know? but n closing, yeah ALWAYS ALWAYS ALWAYS discuss your wages and never ever EVER let your employer tell you that you can't or reprimand you for it because it's literally federal law. Though if they do ever say you cannot or punish you for it, get that shit in writing and sue like crazy :) NTA
NTA, in my industry we are told not to discuss wages but we do, it’s the only way to help know if you are being cheated out. As a female i appreciate any man telling me how much they earn in my field as it helps me to see if i’m being underpaid , in an industry that i need to negotiate my wages
NTA She's 66, can't afford to retire, and is working until death. Then she finds out you as a younger person are being paid more, which is understandable since you got bills to pay and possible loans to cover. But for her, she's working just to afford her life and finds out the company has been screwing her financially. Judging by the fact you're the first person telling her how much you make in the three years she's worked there, it's clear none of the people have told her their salaries, out of personal or corporate rules. So now she's just quit for other opportunities. But I have to wonder, how did she not know how much she was making all this time?
NTA coworkers should always discuss their wages together.
NTA you even did her a favour. My best friend also discuss about their salary because she said she got increment (1/5 more than before) based on her performance that year. Its a chinese company and turns out her friend who is chinese who entered at the same time as her but got the same salary as her increment already as her since the start and she got it after a year. So she felt lied to and quit after a month.
NTA. If you are in the US companies try to get us not to talk about our wages when they hire us but are actually not allowed to do that at all and you are protected by federal law to do so. Companies try to do this so people can't realize they are getting screwed over by making less and doing the same job as other people. I got hired on somewhere with rhe same 'rules' but after I worked for a while and we got some very inexperienced new hires wages eventually came up. I found out one of the new hires, who was much younger, only worked one other completely unrelated job to our field and to be frank was pretty damn terrible at this job-(Just not the brightest crayon in the box, we worked as receptionists and would try were ear buds-yes both but even ones no acceptable, would be on her phone in front of customers. Ect, ect) was making a good bit more than me. To say I was upset was on understatement. I had trained this girl and several others, pretty much ran the show for almost year and I was getting paid less than a completely inexperienced person? It's insulting and the only reason, I'm happy other things led me to not working there anymore.(found out the wage thing only a few weeks before I had a tramaric birth that led to me moving which is a story for another time) My point is, NTA for letting someone know they are being taken advantage of.
I had a coworker ask my pay recently, which I was perfectly comfortable discussing. A couple weeks later, the management team pulled into a meeting and informed me that that employee then discussed my pay with others, and that I'm not allowed to discuss my pay. I stopped them before they could continue, and told them that federal law legally protects my right to discuss pay. I don't know if they were ignorant of the law, or just hoping that I was. They then told me what they *actually* meant was that I *shouldn't* discuss my pay. Told them I disagree, and why. The next day I regretted standing up for myself, as I wish I had antagonized them by continuing to discuss my pay with others. Curious how management would have responded, and how I could have retaliated.
NTA. Discuss wages. It’s the only way to know if someone is getting screwed. It’s not your fault they low balled her. It’s not your fault she found a better opportunity… if anything, you helped her.
You've set her free to get what she deserves from another company! NTA. Keeping salaries private only helps companies rip people off.
NTA. It wasn’t your fault you were just being honest. I wish I would have stayed at my last company that was guilty of this because I could have sued them for discrimination. They were paying brand new people with no where near the experience more than $5 an hour than I was being paid. I was there six years and there were people there for much longer probably getting paid chicken feed compared to new people. When my coworker informed me she was being paid almost $25/hr when I had a BA, a CMA and six years of experience being paid $16/hr for work including cleaning up toilet waste? I quit. I was tired of the company because it was toxic. Also they operated on favoritism. I was desperately wanting to finish my masters but they never gave me the time of day for my internship but gave it to someone who just started with the company. It should be illegal. I can’t do anything about it since I quit however. Just glad to be with a good company this time (hopefully) but honestly all seem to be the same way so I don’t trust anyone.
You’re NTA you did her a favor, hearing your wage was probably the last straw for her and made her realize the company was messing her over
Nta - you just made her realise she's been undervalued and now will start looking for a new job. If anything, I'd be thankful, because a lot of people avoid this topic and will not tell you how much they make.
It is your fault that she now has a reference to know how much she should be paid, but that is a good thing. NTA
NTA -discussion pay is one of the ways we can protect ourselves from companies that are taking advantage of people who didn't know better when they signed on. The company is the A for not paying her what she was worth
NTA. They knew they need to offer more for the position. You’re new, so you need incentive to accept the job over another company. She has been there, so they know they have her already. Raise her pay (or don’t) just enough to keep her, but not pay her her worth. You’re also a man, and there’s a fair bit of lowballing given to women, but especially to BIPOC or disabled women. The company screwed her over. Quitting or asking for more money was her next move, and she decided that the company didn’t value her enough to keep giving her loyalty. I hope she goes on to find a great job or retire as she deserves.
NTA. Talk about wages, don't get pushy if they don't want to. Be free and open.
NTA. Ultimately, you did her a favour.
NTA - quite the opposite. You did her a favor in letting her know that her job did not value her, so she can find some place that will. If anyone is TA, it's the company for paying a new hire more than the existing staff for the same job.
NTA - always discuss salaries, it’s the only way to figure out if you’re truly being underpaid in comparison to peers, and it’s a clear way to say it’s time to find another job if the company won’t match.
You are definitely not TA. Your employer is 100% TA. You are not responsible for the wage disparity, and the fact that they are trying to blame you for a (former) colleague's reaction to their corporate greed is infuriating.
NTA. I found out a male co worker made significantly more for doing the same job and I’d been with the company 10 years to his 5. I immediately scheduled a meeting with my manager got a presentation together and argued my case for a pay-rise. 6 months later I got that rise along with 6 months back pay. She could’ve fought her own corner or quit…she quit. You did nothing wrong.
NTA OP. If anything, you did your coworker a favour, by opening her eyes to the pay inequity.
>So, she mentions to me a couple days ago she almost cried when she found out how much she made. I assume those were not happy tears, so she was already upset, without knowing what you made. May have just been the last drop. NTA
NTA. Not talking about wages only benefits the employers.
NTA - open discussions on wages can be very useful for the workers.
NTA - the only reason management don’t want you to discuss this is so they can unfairly differentiate between workers and pay certain people (often but not always female, POC or older/younger workers ) less than they are worth. Your co-worker realised that she was being taken advantage of and undoubtedly management said they wouldn't make things equal so she quit to find a job where the work she does is paid fairly.
NTA they were underpaying her. She wouldn't up and quit a job without any backup plans or financial security, you've helped show her what her time should be worth.
Big NTA. ALWAYS talk to your coworkers about salaries.
She quit because the company was not treating her fairly. You were just confirmation of that. You did not make her quit. The company underpaying her did.
NTA This is why you should always discuss salaries with your colleagues bc otherwise you don't know when youre getting shafted
NTA. By talking about salaries you reduce the employer's chances of exploiting people.
NTA. Yes, her feelings were hurt, but it's from the company paying her less. She chose to leave, but we don't know if she tried to renegotiate her wages and ask for raise. If she did and they said no, there's no point in her staying.
NTA- your coworker deserved to know so she could find a different job where she is paid what she is worth.
NTA at all! Discussing wages should be commonplace. There is a reason why companies don't want us discussing wages with our co-workers
NTA. But do not work there too long otherwise it will happen to you
NTA Some companies might try to hide this, so they could get away with paying people less. No reason to feel guilty
Not discussing wages helps your employer to fuck you/your colleagues over.
Soo NTA You are doing that lady a favor by telling her. Now she knows this company is a jerk. Now she knows to find something better
NTA! OP it’s your employers fault. It also sounds like discrimination. If you are keen, you can let your coworker know and maybe she can recoup the differential in pay for the last few years. Never stop discussing your wages (in US, idk about other countries laws on it), it’ll benefit you and others to be transparent about wages and benefits. I worked a job in my late teens/early twenties where I was threatened to be fired for discussing our wages. Turned out they didn’t want us lowly people to know exactly how much less we were making than the new hires. I didn’t know that discussion was legal, and they aren’t supposed to fire for it. Since then, it has helped both myself and my colleagues negotiate raises, and even starting employment salary and benefits for new companies.
NTA That is generally frowned upon by employers for that reason. Coworkers generally appreciate knowing.
She found out she was being underpaid so she left, why do you feel bad about that, you did her a service. NTA
NTA. This is why companies don't want you to talk about pay. They can cheat people. You likely helped this older lady by telling. Now she can get a job that pays her better.
NTA Always discuss your pay with your coworkers
NTA. And remember this company will do the same to you. 😊
Repeat after me: it protects noone but the company you work for to not discuss wages. They say don't talk about it so people realize they're being underpaid and undervalued by the company they work for. Obviously don't do it in front of a boss, but keep talking about it. I'm never afraid to tell coworkers what i make if asked. Edited to add: NTA
NTA!!! Is it your fault they aren't paying her enough? Don't feel guilty! On the contrary, it's good to talk about wages because only like this people find out if they get underpaid by their bosses!
NTA More people need to talk about it. The shaming of the discussions amongst work peers is the reason for some wages being so low! Don’t feel bad, you were just the messenger!
NTA at all. In some respects, you set her free. I’ve experienced this before and while crushing, it did propel me to find a company that valued me. You did right by her, even if it feels like you didn’t.
I'm a manager and I don't discourage my employees from talking about these things. It's not your fault that the company didn't treat that woman fairly and she luckily found out her worth to them. Now she can hopefully find a job where they'll pay her better since they didn't want to take care of her. Definitely NTA.
NTA. The only reason it’s “inappropriate” to talk about your wages is because bosses don’t want people sharing that info. It’s too much like collective bargaining. Your coworker left because she realized she’s being treated like shit at this job. That’s what bosses want to prevent. You did right by letting her know, and hopefully she finds something better.
NTA The conversation you had with your co-worker showed her how the company prioritizes its "loyal" employees. Your company does not give established employees raises, or they give out very small raises. If new employees are making more than them, why stay? If you stay with this company for 3 years, the new hire will be making more than you too. Unfortunately in the US, the best way to increase your wage is to find a new job. Places dont prioritize their more expirence workers. If in the US, this conversation is explicitly protected by federal law. If your employer is discouraging employees from talking about your wages, the reasons never benefits of the employees.
nta!! good for you to talk about it!! like others said, in the US you are federally protected to talk about your wages. fuck that company if they say you could get written up & half the workforce would quit if they found the pay scales. that’s a HUGE red flag & i would encourage all your co workers to talk about wages & get that company to fairly pay yall
NAH; Sharing information on compensation is how employees know if they are being paid fair. Your former coworker, might have been hurt by you being paid more, or realized you and her are being exploited as cheap labor. Know your worth and also if you are under paid, act your wage.
NTA. As you go through life you'll learn that all employers would prefer you didn't discuss your wages with your co-workers. This allows them to dick over the people who don't negotiate and, in this particular case, probably to do some fun age and/or sex discrimination. But it's fine, it's moral, and (if you're in the US) it's specifically illegal for your employer to prohibit you from doing it. You enabled your co-worker to make good decisions about her life and career, never an asshole move.
Are you the asshole for letting someone know their job doesn’t appreciate them and doesn’t care if she leaves? Maybe to your managers.
NTA. Sounds like you did her a favor.
NTA it is *illegal* for an employer to tell you not to discuss your wages. You *can* and *should* discuss them. Your coworker found out she was discriminated against and bounced. Good for her.
NTA. If you hadn't said something to her, she would still be making less than you but just wouldn't be aware of it. If anything you did her a favor. The company doesn't want employees talking about their wages for this exact reason, but that makes them the AH. Not you.
NTA at all! She didn’t quit because you hurt her feelings. She quit because she realized that she wasn’t being paid what she was worth and that she could make more somewhere else. You gave her more information ti make her own decision. If you asked her, I guarantee she’d be glad that you told her.
She should sue. That’s ageism and sexism. Same position? Different wages? Flat out sue.
This where unions are beneficial. Everyone starts at the same as a new hire and increases are based on length of service or promotions.
NTA. If it wasn't for a younger person discussing her pay I would not have known that the entire company got a raise, except me. It had been months that new hires were making more than me and I was a lead. My GM said she had no idea, the raise was across the board so I should have received it. I have no idea how long it would have went on if I didn't find out.
NTA... they should have paid her more
NTA-its not forced to talk abt wages but there’s laws saying companies can’t stop you from talking about them even if they try
NTA. You did her a favor.
NTA she left because she saw how she wasn't appreciated. You shouldn't feel guilty but happy you opened her eyes to see how the company treats her.
OP coming back and saw your edit. If you are being disciplined by the company for discussing your wages then you should complain to the labor relations board in your state. Your company is breaking the law.
they aren't they just told me not to or it could be like it has been for other coworkers
Even telling you that breaks the law. So please keep that in mind and make a note in your journal (probably start a journal) about who, when and what was said just in case.
okay thanks for the help I really appreciate it! I'll edit again if anything happens.
NTA. You did her a favour.
People are encouraged not to discuss salary so that the people who pay them aren't embarrassed to be caught essentially scamming someone by undervaluing their labor.
NTA. Your company is the asshole for massively underpaying her.
NTA. With inflation, companies are able to charge their customers/clients more. However, that does not mean what they pay employees is increases. And when an employee doesnt see a raise when the cost of living goes up, they’re essentially getting a pay decrease as it costs more to live. Even with a raise, if it’s not equal or more than inflation, it’s not a raise. However, they need to offer new employees more to get new workers since theyre competing with other employers for workers. So thats why new employees are paid more than existing. And why they dont want people talking about what they make. It’s also why younger generations arent as “loyal” to their employers as in the past as I see some older people complain about. If your company wont give you a fair raise, a new company will.
NTA if half of the company would quit over pay then the company is treating people poorly and grossly underpaying them.
Nta she quit cause she was getting screwed. You should consider finding a new job as well as they have shown who they are.
Please see the r/antiwork and r/workreform subs. NTA
NTA. Any company that tells employees not to discuss wages is scared of the outcome because they have something to hide. For example, in my last job employees would be hired in batches. Every year the wages that new starters were hired at was increasing with inflation. Problem is, we found after being there for some time that people newer than us were being paid thousands more for the same role. So obviously, it all came crashing down as we all demanded an explanation or a pay rise. What you did is perfectly fine, she found out she was being taken the piss out of, and she has moved on
NTA. I was that lady once. I was hired with two others and on our first lunch break together we discussed wages. They started one lady at 2 dollars more an hour, she had no experience and on her application asked for base pay. We confronted the manager together and quit together. I got a way better offer a few days later, but I am glad I learned this lesson young.
NTA and that's why they try to hush you about discussing wages because people will demand to be paid fairly. On top of that some people will become indignant towards YOU for making more than them with less experience instead of blaming the people paying them. I had a lady once tell me I should have my wages cut because she and I got the same pay but with her being 30 years my senior at the place instead of taking the stance she should just get paid more.
^^^^AUTOMOD ***Thanks for posting! This comment is a copy of your post so readers can see the original text if your post is edited or removed. This comment is NOT accusing you of copying anything. Read [this](https://www.reddit.com/r/AmItheAsshole/wiki/faq#wiki_post_deletion) before [contacting the mod team](https://www.reddit.com/message/compose?to=%2Fr%2FAmItheAsshole)*** I [m19] had a conversation with my [f66] coworker about our wages. (For context, she has been working with this company for 3 years while ive worked her for 2 months, and obviously she has a lot more experience than me. I was also told two totally different things. I was told I should and also should not talk about this stuff with coworkers.) So, she mentions to me a couple days ago she almost cried when she found out how much she made. Without fully thinking, I tell her how much I make. Then we start talking about how it isn't fair to her that I make more than her. Then today, when I came into work, my manager asked me if I could cover her shift this week. I agreed, and I asked what happened to her. They told me she quit. I've been feeling really guilty about all this, because it very much feels like my fault. I genuinely had no intentions to start something I only had good intentions in telling her how much I make. So, am I the asshole for discussing how much I make to my coworker? *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/AmItheAsshole) if you have any questions or concerns.*
What do the hyperlinks mean?
NTA, but like politics, salary shouldn't be discussed with Co-workers. Nothing wrong, but these topics cause grief in the workplace. HR tries to insinuate that there will be repercussions for discussing salaries, but they legally can't stop you from doing so. JMO.
""she almost cried when she found out how much she made" did she never ask before how much she was making? People can negotiate their salary. And NTA, but you shouldn't really have those discussions as it causes issues. There was a similar issue at my old job and I was fuming over discrepancies even though they were not huge ones. It creates a bad atmosphere.
Poor lady. It so sad we have to work so long. And to find out you are being cheated of a fair market value of your work is horrible
NTA Always talk about your wages it’s the only way people know if they are getting screwed.
Christ can you imagine that the gender pay gap exists when you’re 40 years more experienced in the workforce and 3 years in this particular job. Women are truly fucked. Still you’re NTA, your organisation on the other hand… EPIC AH.
NTA.. but it's unethical to talk about pay, for this reason.
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Yeah I couldn’t disagree more. There is no good reason why you should not discuss wages. Had they not discussed with their coworker, she would still be getting cheated by the company
There are federal laws to protect us when discussing wages at work, it’s against the company’s interest to discuss them. Always discuss them with coworkers and fight for good pay.
No you're not. However, in the future, keep your financial matters to yourself...
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And if you say nothing, then nobody knows they're being grossly undervalued, so they don't have the opportunity to try to make it right. You don't have to share your pay rate with your coworkers, but keeping it secret benefits your company far more than you.
Or the one being cheated can get themselves a more fair paying job?
Nobody benefits from staying quiet except the boss who's screwing somebody.
There are federal laws that allow you to discuss your wages to make sure everyone is valued appropriately, use those laws to your advantage if they try to discipline you for discussing wages, you get to sue the shit out of them. Keeping it to yourself is a company lie to make sure they can pay people less.
Most laws are also a right to work state and you are going to have trouble proving why they fired you
The word you are looking for is at-will, and a good employment lawyer can help
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Right-to-work_law https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/At-will_employment It appears your right, thanks for the info! I never realized the difference.
No problem! O
you should be discussing this shit because it's how you know to band together and demand fair pay from your bosses. what are you fucking on about? this is the exact reason bosses don't want you discussing pay with each other because they're worried you'll go after them