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Original poster

Job I'm doing is being advertised externally at nearly double my salary - can I do anything?

21 replies

spicemonster · 06/02/2008 09:14

It's not identical because it involves travel and I've said I can't travel at the moment. But apart from the travel, it's pretty much identical. And I know it's the company I work for because of the terminology.

Would I have a case to ask for a payrise? Or would they laugh in my face?

OP posts:

batters · 06/02/2008 09:26

This reply has been deleted

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batters · 06/02/2008 11:11

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Message withdrawn at poster's request.

hermionegrangerat34 · 06/02/2008 17:27

Might you be able to argue the 'equal pay for equal work' thing in your favour?

hecate · 06/02/2008 17:28

I guess they'd argue that it's not the same job because it involves travel.

Hulababy · 06/02/2008 17:32

I think this is allowed to be honest, although you could try and argue your case anyway - you never know.

We have a really bizarre situation about to happen where I work. They are advertising for a co-ordinator in my department, There are currently two of us working doing IAG, both .5 part time. We are employed on a lecturer's grade, so get lecturer's pay, holidays (12 weeks) and a teacher's pension.

The IAG coordinators job is advertised on a different pay scale - lower pay, less holidasy (5 weeks IIRR) and no teacher's pension.

Oddly enough neither me nor my colleaue are going for it

But it means that our boss will be on less pay and less perks that teh people working below her/him.

flowerybeanbag · 06/02/2008 17:40

spicemonster do you have any salary structure where you work, or a union? I'm guessing not.

Other than equal pay legislation, there's no other legislation stopping 'unfair' salaries, but it is obviously hugely demotivating. I would be inclined to challenge it with your boss. Are there any other colleagues in a similar position?

Freckle · 06/02/2008 17:50

When I was working, they needed to employ another lawyer doing the same job. The person they appointed was demanding a higher salary than I was receiving so my bosses increased mine to the same level. Tbh I probably wouldn't have known otherwise.

Original poster

spicemonster · 06/02/2008 19:30

Sorry - have been out all day and only just remembered I'd posted this. Thanks for all the replies (and for bumping batters )

fbb - you guess right - no unions where I work. As you know that I'm having problems anyway with them. I've got my flexible working agreed at least

I didn't think there was anything legally I could do but I'm massively hacked off because before I went on ML, they agreed they would promote me when I returned in October. Had I not gone on ML, I would have been promoted last April. Then my department got restructured, my old job didn't exist and then the job they told me I could have is now going to involve a load of travel. That is (I think) one of the jobs I've seen advertised and I'm not exaggerating, it really is being advertised at double my salary.

I've only been made one other concrete job offer - at first they said they wouldn't be able to promote me (which is a nonsense as I'm on the wrong grade so they have to promote me to be able to give me a job) and then they said okay, they'd promote me but not give me a payrise!

OP posts:

Original poster

spicemonster · 06/02/2008 19:31

ps I have no idea how much any of my colleages earn. Maybe I should ask. We're always so weird about money in the UK

OP posts:

NKF · 06/02/2008 19:34

I think if it involves travel and your job doesn't then it's not the same job.

Judy1234 · 06/02/2008 19:42

Women don't ask for more pay. Apparently men go for a new job if they can do 60% of it and women if they are sure they can 100% do it. Employers don't have to pay the same pay to existing staff and new staff. If some women are idiots enough to accept low pay as many are then employers can give them low pay. If most men ask for pay rises and are heaps better at doing it than women then yes men often do get more. It's time women got more assertive with pay, high time.

eleusis · 06/02/2008 19:46

I think I'd offer to travel (and do anything else they requested) for double my salary. Ooooooo.... wouldn't that be sweet.

RibenaBerry · 06/02/2008 19:50

Hate to say it, but Xenia's right. Women are useless at pushing pay. When they do, it's normally a threat to sue for equal pay, not a bog standard "I'm worth more than this and you know it" (which gets results a damn sight more quickly, and without the common litigation result of having to leave/your colleagues hating you).

If you'd found a new job and threatened to leave, would they up your pay to keep you? Why not look about in the market? If you don't want to do it, then why not go to them and say point blank what you've seen and that you think you're worth a pay rise?

rantinghousewife · 06/02/2008 19:57

Actually it sometimes works the other way round too, the chap who ended up doing my job when I left, was actually paid quite a bit less than I was to do the same job. Of course I couldn't tell him that (I trained him to do the job) because it was stated in my contract that I was not to discuss my salary with other members of staff.

RibenaBerry · 06/02/2008 20:01

True, sometimes it works the other way. But usually employers have to pay more to get someone in the door than they do someone who's already there.

At DH's work, they can't increase his salary because he's top of his grade. And the only reason they can award increases outside the grade is if they need it for a new hire. As a result, people bounce back and forth between a few companies in his industry (all have the same policy, basically), to 'bust' the structure time and time again.

Original poster

spicemonster · 06/02/2008 20:35

What I'm going to do is: contact the agency to check that it is actually my job. Have a bit of a strop. I got headhunted today so I'll leave if I have to - I know I can get another job pretty easily (I work in a very arcane role).

If I could be paid double what I'm being paid, I could do the international travel because I could afford a nanny! Right now I can't.

OP posts:

Original poster

spicemonster · 06/02/2008 20:38

And yes, xenia is absolutely right. I was crap at negotiating when I started this job because I'd had a year out, was broke and desperate and now I'm still paying for my poor negotiation at the outset. I am very bad at salary haggling.

OP posts:

SenoraPancake · 06/02/2008 20:39

aren't those contrcat clauses that say you mustn't discuss salary illegal?

anyway - good luck spicemonster.

theyoungvisiter · 06/02/2008 20:52

Spicemonster - good luck! Honestly, try your luck, you never know what will happen.

I got headhunted (well, very grand term for being emailed by someone at another company asking if I was interested in a slightly better job than the one I was currently doing) and simply went to my boss, told him that I'd been approached for a post a grade higher than the one I was currently on, and asked if he'd match the offer as I didn't want to leave but needed the money.

He went away, conferred, and then came back and said yes, simple as that. I was gobsmacked! It wasn't a great deal of money but it really left me wishing I'd asked sooner!

Ultimately it's a question of whether they need you more than you need them. it sounds like they do - and they probably know that if you left they would have to pay a lot more than you are currently getting to recruit new staff. If they are sensible and want to retain you, they will realise that.

Judy1234 · 07/02/2008 12:34

An employment agency person might do some negotiation for some people. May be there's a market for me or someone to negotiate pay on behalf of the women in return for a cut of the increase...... May be that's why authors and people have agents to do that for them and barristers have clerks.

I've asked for more pay from an employer and been refused it however. You have to be able to cope with rejection too.

rookiemater · 07/02/2008 15:10

I think Xenias absolutely right, a lot of women are frightened of asking for more money.

I know on the one time I did it as my boss offered me an increase which didn't take into account the fact that I was due a cost of living rise anyway and I made it clear I was due both, he caved in straight away, leading me to think that he was expecting me to ask.

The worst they can do is turn round and say no and then you are in no worse of a position than you were before.

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