Can I ask how much a co-worker earns?

[boringnamechange]

In work today my equal (although done the job longer than me) mentioned a new job but that it didn't pay as much as current job. I looked at the new job on line and it looks like he is paid a lot more than me if he thinks its less than what we get now.
There isn't any way I can ask him or our hr manager if I get paid the same is there? Do I need to just accept I may not be paid as much? Or apply for the new job?
Thanks

It depends on your contract - in most firms I worked for so far, pay is confidential - but that's private sector, I think public sector is different.

If he has done the job longer than you, i.e. is more experienced, then I don't think it's neccessarily unfair that he gets paid more than you.

I'm pretty sure that I'm not being paid the same as everyone else in the same grade in my team, but don't think that's wrong, as there are different levels of experience.

Also bear in mind if he's been there a long time and has has cost of living/various pay rises over the years then you could be on comparitavely the same as what he was when he had been there the same amount of time as you have now. That's my glass half full thinking....!

Hi thanks for the replies. He has been doing job longer but only slightly but I was made to believe that where we work there are levels of pay and as we were specialist we would both be the same.

Realised I can't really ask as its none of my business just got to me slightly. Thanks again though!

Do you think the reason he's paid more is because he's a man? If so you can ask

The law changed recently - you can't keep salaries secret anymore. It's fine to ask your colleague.

Why can't you ask?
They can always tell you to mind your own business! Or give you an indication (e.g. to nearest £5k, or in the "band Z" scale).

"The law changed recently - you can't keep salaries secret anymore. It's fine to ask your colleague."

And he can tell you to go get stuffed :p It's the employers problem not his to tell you how much people earn though if you can point me to that law that says this as I've never heard it before.

If it's in the public sector, they usually have a sliding scale depending on how long you have been in the job. At my grade, there is a nearly £5k difference at the top and bottom of the scale, so if he has been there much longer than you, it might explain it.

This is also not affected by the public sector pay freeze, it's an automatic increment until you hit the "pay ceiling" IYSWIM.

He may be phishing to guage your reaction!

Keep cool and don't mention it again.

We used to have increments but now only a single level.