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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

… to be a bit miffed to find out new coworker is earning more?

84 replies

Randomname85 · 07/01/2022 10:40

I’ve been the sole EA at a company for a few years - we’ve hired a new EA, I’ve been heavily involved in the hiring process. She will be supporting less senior people (I am not hierarchical at all but just for info), but I’ve just noticed her starting salary is £12k more than me - I can’t help feel a little undervalued by this especially considering I got my annual feedback at the end of last year and it was glowing.

AIBU?

OP posts:

seventyminutes · 07/01/2022 10:45

Yeah I'd be pissed but it's common practice for competitive salaries and I feel you have to kind of 'fight for your own' because a lot of companies won't!

Bring up your income in your next review and demand more and reasons why you deserve it!

Aubriella · 07/01/2022 10:45

Don’t be miffed, make your case to be on the same salary.

If they say no, resign and move jobs.

You can’t wait around for promotions and pay rises, you’ve got to back yourself.

TorringtonDean · 07/01/2022 10:47

Time you asked for a raise. This is always tricky in my experience. Do you officially know she is earning so much more. You should argue what you said above - you work for senior people and received a glowing appraisal.

Aubriella · 07/01/2022 10:47

I’m, don’t wait until the best review. Bring it up in next catch up with manager.

Annaghgloor · 07/01/2022 10:48

@Aubriella

Don’t be miffed, make your case to be on the same salary.

If they say no, resign and move jobs.

You can’t wait around for promotions and pay rises, you’ve got to back yourself.

This.

NoSquirrels · 07/01/2022 10:49

Bring it up ASAP with your manager, if you have legitimate access to her salary information then it’s a legitimate thing to raise, alongside your excellently evidences case for being paid more.

When you as your salary last reviewed?

Idontgiveagriffindamn · 07/01/2022 10:50

Use this as motivation to either put forward a case for money money or leave. They’ve obviously been able to negotiate a higher salary or have come on a higher salary.

HollyBollyBooBoo · 07/01/2022 10:51

£12k more sounds like a pretty high percentage difference, that would be 2 bands in our company!

Definitely raise with your line manager why you deserve a pay rise, know how much you're asking for before the convo.

Bushkin · 07/01/2022 10:51

Have you asked for a raise? Most companies don’t give anything but notional rises unless you ask for it or negotiate when moving roles internally.

Original poster

Randomname85 · 07/01/2022 10:51

@TorringtonDean yes I’ve seen her signed contract.

Thanks all for your input, I’m not very good at being assertive or advocating for myself so I wanted to gauge whether I was overreacting. the reality is though, I’m not actually unhappy with my salary - it’s actually a really very good salary for the job and I wouldn’t have even thought have asking for a raise before her hiring so that makes me wonder if my motives wouldn’t be right asking for a raise tbh.

OP posts:

Aubriella · 07/01/2022 10:56

makes me wonder if my motives wouldn’t be right asking for a raise tbh.

Why do women short change themselves so much?

TorringtonDean · 07/01/2022 10:59

It sounds like you are worth more and you work for more senior people. If they found the money for her then they could find the money for you. But I do sympathise because if I was you I would find it very hard to have the confidence to argue my case to my boss. I have even tried this before myself when I thought I had very good grounds. I was turned down flat because there was “no budget” and then hated myself because I left in tears. I then made up my mind to find a better paid job elsewhere - which I did but it took a year to find it.

But apparently the experts say one main reason for the gender pay gap is that women don’t ask for more. It’s probably because we are conditioned to believe we are not worth it.

EBearhug · 07/01/2022 11:03

But apparently the experts say one main reason for the gender pay gap is that women don’t ask for more. It’s probably because we are conditioned to believe we are not worth it.

Women are also more likely to be turned down when we do ask for it, so we can't win either way...

TorringtonDean · 07/01/2022 11:06

Yes, I agree more likely to be turned down because male bosses think we don’t need the money. We do, of course!! I was always the main family breadwinner and I believe my family lost out because I was female.

NoSquirrels · 07/01/2022 11:07

it’s actually a really very good salary for the job and I wouldn’t have even thought have asking for a raise before her hiring so that makes me wonder if my motives wouldn’t be right asking for a raise tbh.

But now you’ve got a benchmark salary to compare against.

Either her skills (& therefore yours too) are in demand at this higher salary or they’re not (& she would be paid the same as you).

Either she was paid a matching salary in her previous company or she has negotiated a raise.

Both mean you should make your case.

Totalwasteofpaper · 07/01/2022 11:08

12K is SIGNIFICANT on your base.

I think you have three options

make a case
go to market get a job offer and ask them to counter
go to market get a job offer, take it and never look back!

i generally go for option 3

notapizzaeater · 07/01/2022 11:09

£12k is a huge amount extra - I'd be rattling a few cages.

converseandjeans · 07/01/2022 11:12

It sounds like they have allowed you to see the paperwork & you're right to question why your salary is lower. I can't see how they can refuse you a pay rise?

UnderTheMoonlightWeDanced · 07/01/2022 11:15

@Aubriella

makes me wonder if my motives wouldn’t be right asking for a raise tbh.

Why do women short change themselves so much?

Right!!!!!! Every man I know wouldn’t even question kicking off they would be asking for that pay rise meeting before the day was out.

Original poster

Randomname85 · 07/01/2022 11:16

@converseandjeans I have access to all contracts so it’s not necessarily that they ‘allowed’ me see it, I just did. I do actually wonder if they were hoping I wouldn’t see it.

OP posts:

Aubriella · 07/01/2022 11:19

Right!!!!!! Every man I know wouldn’t even question kicking off they would be asking for that pay rise meeting before the day was out.

Exactly @UnderTheMoonlightWeDanced

Op, you are doing yourself a huge disservice if you don't fight for equal pay with new colleague.

I'm sure we can help you make the arguments if you like?

Peppaismyrolemodel · 07/01/2022 11:22

@Aubriella

makes me wonder if my motives wouldn’t be right asking for a raise tbh.

Why do women short change themselves so much?

It’s not an emotional or moral decisiOn from the company’s POV. They will pay the smallest salary they can to the best candidate. So get another job offer. Go back to them and ask them to match. Be polite and clear. Don’t be apologetic- it’s a business decision not a star chart 🤷‍♀️

WhatDidISayAlan · 07/01/2022 11:23

That’s a huge difference. If there’s no difference in workload (which is really what matters rather than the seniority of who you are supporting), then there’s no reason why she should be on £40k, for example, and you’re only on £28k. I’d raise it at my next performance review.

AdviceNeeded367 · 07/01/2022 11:24

Thats the thing with the current recruitment climate - staff shortages mean that candidates can negotiate terms, including inflated salaries.

ChristmasHost21 · 07/01/2022 11:27

As someone who is desperaty trying to fill gaps in recruitment...let me tell you its a great market out there for candidates. A job at my place that 6 years ago paid 16k now pays 23k, and not only that but I am saying to candidates how many hours do you want to work? 40 34 30? You choose and pro rata wage from there!

What I am trying to say is go to your manager to negotiate a better deal for yourself or find something much better out there!!!

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