I'm not being paid the same

[whatnow41]

WWYD?
I started a new job around 4 months ago and it is in a ramp phase, recruiting 200+ people for a new site. I'm one of 15 people doing my job role.

When I was offered, I was told the salary was set, not banded and was non-negotiable. Everyone taken on for that role was being paid the same.

When I started another colleague sounded me out and had a similar conversation so I happily assumed we are all on the same salary.

Today - a new colleague sounded me out, but stated their number. It's higher than mine. Only by £1k but still. He's also male. Of course.

I have 15 yrs experience managing above the level I currently do. I have 10yrs of industry relevant experience. On paper, at point of offer, I don't see how they can justify offering another candidate higher than me. Even if they have same or higher level of management experience than me, I'm still working at 2 steps below my experience level now.

The other person has no relevant industry experience, and plenty of other people they have taken on have less or no relevant experience than me.

How should I address this? In all other areas - this job is awful. I hate it and so much needs to improve. It's still in ramp phase and so their is potential for it to get better, but it really is bad right now and my motivation is on the floor.

Bump anyone?

Could you go to management together? For the sake of £1k he wouldn't be risking much.

Perhaps. I didn't let on that I'm on less than him. It's the typical business rule that it's a breach of contract to discuss salary, so in a slightly dodgy position even trying to raise it.

Breach of contract? Where do you live, OP, in the UK?

They can’t enforce a clause like that if the reason you were discussing pay was for the purposes of establishing whether you are being discriminated against on the basis of your sex.

Still not easy to raise it, I get that. But they couldn’t discipline you for doing so.

Yes I'm UK and I get that they can't discipline me for it but I'm also disabled, my experience of employers hasn't been great. Just because something is illegal, doesn't stop it from happening.

Employment law, in my experience, is the same as speed limits. Everyone breaks it on a daily basis, some people get caught and fined sometimes, but it doesn't stop them or anyone else from doing it again.

Look for another job and when you have one tell them you’re leaving because the pay is poor in light of your experience and previous role

I had something similar in a previous job. I was recruited internally on bottom of pay band whereas external candidates were recruited at the top of the band - even though we had the same amount of experience.

I raised it as a complaint to my line manager and then to my director but nothing happened.. in the end I was promoted to the next grade any way but it really irked me.

I learnt the lesson to negotiate as hard as possible when being offered a new job - even if at first I'm told I should be placed at bottom of the pay grade, as experience taught me that once you're in post it's much harder to get placed higher on the grade.

For the sake of 1k I'd suck it up for now but hope you can get a promotion or apply for more senior role in the not too distant future.

I might just mention it then amongst the long list of things that are awful about this job, if I ever get a 121 or review with my boss. Perhaps I'll wait for my probation to finish first!!

Just to clarify, you're a female with a disability your employer is aware of being paid less than a male that is doing an identical job? Totally identical job?

@weekfour yes. Wheelchair user here and very much female. Paid less than male colleague in identical job who has similar level of management experience but no industry knowledge or experience. STEM industry I have 10+ years experience of.

I would say that once you are out of probation at your end of probation meeting I would raise the issue of salary and say that you would like £1k extra to bring you in line with your male colleague with less experience.