Comments on: In Support of Pay Transparency

By: HanaMaru

HanaMaru — Tue, 03 Feb 2009 23:46:18 +0000

The Ledbetter Act, sadly isn’t going to have businesses running scared. It’s still contingent upon women to find out they’re being discriminated against and suing their employers, which can take years and their on $$$, while being VERY hard to prove in court. If Obama wanted to do something real to end pay inequity, he might create an office like OSHA that monitored businesses, doing random checks and allowing workers to call in reports.

By: Khrystene

Khrystene — Tue, 03 Feb 2009 20:18:42 +0000

“According to Ledbetter, she was told on her first day at work never to discuss salary with anyone.”

I had this exact same rule at my previous job and ALWAYS thought it was suspicious. And being the person I am, I always pushed the boundaries of ridiculous rules such as those whenever I could… “Oh but we can’t talk about that can we!” *wink wink*

The other comment I want to make is, I totally adhere to Diziet_Sma’s advice. Absolutely. 100%. I learnt this method many years ago and have used it to great success, up until very recently, when I had to somewhat modify it.

The trouble is, even if you negotiate something appropriate with regards pay and conditions in Poland (where I live) the employer (often with the tacit backing of ‘sheep’ employees) will somewhere down the track, invariably take it away from you. (I’m in a battle with my ex and current bosses for things that were promised in my contracts and negotiations – in the previous employer’s case, documented) – so, trust noone.

Watch your back at all times. (I have also battled every employer bar none – including a major state university – since I came here to live several years ago – I’m bloody exhausted.)

Use whatever means necessary to get what you need. Don’t trust your boss. Don’t expect your co-workers to stand with you. If they do, enjoy it and use it to get yourselves a better deal. It’s all you can do.

I’m a little bitter today, and tomorrow may be the same, but I won’t let them take what I am owed away from me without a damn good fight. Let me tell you!

/end_rant

By: SarahMC

SarahMC — Tue, 03 Feb 2009 19:55:04 +0000

That’s not SILENCE, PS. Spill.

By: Pilgrim Soul

Pilgrim Soul — Tue, 03 Feb 2009 19:53:46 +0000

JD, you could always emigrate. We also have a less draconian immigration system such that one could potentially move there and gain permanent residency without having to put in several years of indentured servitude or alternately marry a kind acquaintance or mercenary fuckwad met over Craigslist.

(No, I’m not bitter, why do you ask?)

**remains silent on issue of bonuses**

By: jdregent

jdregent — Tue, 03 Feb 2009 19:44:05 +0000

Bonus? What is this alien concept of which you speak?

By: SarahMC

SarahMC — Tue, 03 Feb 2009 19:40:16 +0000

My American male boyfriend is exactly the type to keep his head down and his mouth closed at work. He hates his job, in fact, and spends his whole day counting down the hours. Still, every four months or so he gets a bonus of $500 to $1,000, out of the blue. It’s crazy!

By: jdregent

jdregent — Tue, 03 Feb 2009 19:37:48 +0000

and by PM I mean PS. Whoever coined P.Soul, we have to put that into heavy rotation.

By: jdregent

jdregent — Tue, 03 Feb 2009 19:37:06 +0000

PM I think it is male AND american. I had a Canadian boyfriend once who was constantly disgusted and horrified by the way merit raises happened. He thought if he kept his head down and did the best at his job he would be recognized, and realized that his shitty coworker made like 15 grand more than him because he asked for raises like every 6 months despite doing nothing to deserve them. I dearly wish I lived in Canada for reasons such as rewards for not being proactive and capitalist in the workplace and not having matching bridesmaids.

By: Pilgrim Soul

Pilgrim Soul — Tue, 03 Feb 2009 19:25:55 +0000

I work in a sector of my industry that has perfect pay transparency. It’s great. Everyone should have it. No merit-based compensation, really.

It’s funny how, though, I use a lot of similar arguments to these at work to complain about the general culture being against women in my particular type of workplace. Workplaces generally reward a kind of proactiveness that I often find alienatingly male and/or American…

By: jdregent

jdregent — Tue, 03 Feb 2009 18:00:02 +0000

yeah the times is a good comparison — still the private/public questions plague me, but i can see how that can also be manipulated to pay me less than they could, even if I’m never going to make market rate for my degree. thanks for the pep talk. i’m more likely to negotiate for more time off than a higher paycheck, but it’s definitely worth thinking about for next time.