AIBU guys paid a LOT more..

[Cuethatcumber]

I'm getting really peeved off just lately, it's been a standing issue all my career/over half my life (to give an estimate) that I've always been paid less than the rest of the team.. And there's been a high turnover.. But just lately I'm reaaaally annoyed, I was put off another internal job by my own manager because it supposedly was a paycut while training for it.. Turns out it wasn't.. It was a few '3k' more than I'm on... Now I've found out to the rest of the team.. Yes it was probably a pay cut '3k'.. (putting into perspective) ..leaving me '6k' behind.. WWYD.. we're supposedly confidential in terms of salary - nobody's allowed to discuss - But it doesn't take a genius to work out why.. I'm the only girl.. I've been on maternity a couple of times, so a tad mother brain and rusty round the edges - which has been shoved in my face as the answer during appraisals.. But why does that make me so different that I get so much less.. How would you approach and confront it..?..

Leave.

To expand, a culture like that won't improve so you're best going somewhere better where you will be paid the same as everyone else. Don't waste the stress on them.

Are there any comparable roles in the marketplace? I’d probably leave and go
To one of them but if you want to stay go to your manager with the job ads, ask them to match or you’ll be looking elsewhere and you’re a flight risk

Look for another job.

Yea thanks. That's my easy option. Just seeing if it was worth one last effort before I do.

No, not if you've already tried. Trust me, it feels absolutely glorious leaving a toxic workplace and finally seeing how bad it was.

Plenty of other roles out there the same/similar but it's a guys job.. So will be another start over with another workforce of probably all guys to contend with and prove I'm no different yet again.. I've taken a huge knock in confidence and am just sat on that gatepost ready to go, just struggling to reach for the latch and walk so to speak.

I've been on maternity a couple of times, so a tad mother brain and rusty round the edges - which has been shoved in my face as the answer during appraisals..

Get this in writing and go to HR.. "mother brain" is incredibly discriminatory as is using your maternity leave against you.

OP could you talk to HR about their employee policies, people being paid different salaries for doing the same job?

Also OP, think of yourself as a woman, rather than a girl. Words really matter. There is no reason you should be getting paid less than the men in your company for doing the same job just because you’re a woman.

Thanks, yes I could go down the hr route. But as I've said. Things could get very very awkward when speaking up.. being the only female there.. I've no real backing behind me.. It's taken a lot of years to gain acceptance as the older generation of 'it's not a woman's job' seem to have all retired out.. I've proved my competence and worth once over.. But I seem to now be having to start all that again..

What industry do you work in? I'm in Engineering which is sometimes considered to be a "man's job", but that is not at all the case in all (hopefully most!?) companies. My company in particular are wonderful at seeing the person and skills, not the gender. So...there are better places out there!

FlyingCircus93 - yes you know where I'm coming from.

If you've actually been told you've got a mother's brain and had your maternity leaves shoved in your face during appraisals, that is plain and simple discrimination. Have you put in a complaint? It's most likely out of time now though for a case if a while ago. I had similar before, told I had baby brain and I was held back, I took it to tribunal but there was only a 3 months time limit to start proceedings, luckily I was in time. Honestly I think it's time you go for a job at another company, they won't change their toxic work culture.