Lied to about pay increase - there's nothing I can do is there?

[WelshCakes1]

I'll try and keep this brief 🤣

I had a horrible and traumatic time in my personal life last year (relevant).

During my performance review my manger said that he was very impressed that I kept professional and that none of my clients would have picked up on what was happening outside of work. He said he'd discussed it with head office who agreed and therefore I would get 'more' than the rest of the team. - this was entirely out of the blue and not expected so of course I was pleased.

My final evaluation was 'exceeded expectations' - manager again mentioned I'd get more than the team.

Got told my bonus and pay rise (very unexceptional) but again got told it was more than the rest of the team so to keep it to myself.

There's 3 of us in the team. Now as happens, the other 2 have separately told me what they received.

*collegue 1 got a larger pay rise and slightly smaller (10%) bonus than me (the higher pay rise would amount to more than the lower bonus)

*collegue 2 got a larger pay rise and the same bonus as me.

In no sense have I got 'more'

I didn't expect it, until TM made such a song and dance about how well I'd performed and how head office recognised it so would be reflected in higher compensation than the rest of the team. Now I feel like I've been lied to and made a fool out of.

But we're strictly not allowed to discuss salary or bonus. There's nothing I can do but quietly seethe is there??

To add colleagues only got 1% higher but point still remains

Is your base salary the same as your colleagues?

Are your colleagues male? could there be some discriminatory practices there?

It sounds like your manager either fed you some bullshit to keep you happy and he did not expect that you would find out that the others had got higher pay rises.

Or he made promises before checking that he actually had the authority to implement them and this was not OK by people above him.

Employers can’t ban you from discussing pay.

But if your colleagues volunteered that information to you, I'd absolutely go back to my manager and query it. A man would too...

This!

One paid slightly less (with the smaller bonus) but much less experience. The other I don't actually know. Definitely more, would guess about 10% more

I was explicitly told not to discuss

I bet you were, because he knew if you discussed it you'd find out he was lying to you.

An employer cannot legally bar you from discussing salary with colleagues (see https://thehedge.io/articles/discussing-salary-at-work-in-the-uk-is-it-a-good-idea for example) precisely so that they can't get away with this kind of thing.

I'm going to lay bets your manager is weak and said the same thing to everyone. That said, and I'm going to get slammed for it but don't care, your personal life and problems really aren't relevant.

In law you and your colleagues can discuss salaries. So what? If you raise it then everyone in management knows you've all discussed it. It might not bite back today, but it could tomorrow, in ways you aren't expecting. And for all of you.

Are you so pissed off that you don't care? If so then raise it as a grievance. But there isn't another way.

There's nothing you can do about getting a higher pay rise, though. But now you know that your boss will cheerfully lie to your face and try to stop you from finding out about it you can factor that into deciding to look for another job.

Part of last year's shit was the suicide of a close family member. It feels like this is being used as some kind of power game???? And I don't really want it all bought up again.

I do agree my personal life is separate to work, but I wasn't the one who bought it up!!!

I'm so, so sorry.

But it really doesn't change anything. Nobody here can read minds, or performance. We don't know what is "fair". This is possibly THEIR power game. We can't tell. But legally you haven't said anything that constructs a case if something eke

Else not eke

There’s absolutely no way they can legally stop you from discussing your pay. I’d be looking for another job and when I found one, I’d be telling them it was because I was lied to over my payrise. It’s shoddy behaviour at least from them.

I would be inclined to tell boss that you know you didn’t get “more” than the others. Just to stop them going on about it and perhaps rethinking how they communicate these things in the future.

But no, you can’t otherwise do anything about it. You are not entitled to more than your colleagues.

"I was explicitly told not to discuss"
And you didn't.

"But if your colleagues volunteered that information to you, I'd absolutely go back to my manager and query it. A man would too..."

Agreed. Go back to your manager, start by telling them that you were told not discuss it and you would like to point out that you have not discussed anything. Because you didn't say anything.
However the other two employees volunteered their information and you're thus now coming back to him to Discuss this, because you are unhappy.

Sorry about what happened, but I'm a bit confused as to why something awful happening in your personal life would have a bearing on what you are paid? Are you sure there hasn't been some misunderstanding/miscommunication? Not minimising your traumatic experience, but lots of people carry on doing their jobs professionally whilst all sorts of shit is happening in their personal lives.

Have you seen it in writing what your colleagues got? Maybe they are exaggerating? We had the same where I worked once and I did get more but said I got 3% which is what everyone else said they got to avoid any upset.

''@SlipSlidinAway · Today 08:44
Sorry about what happened, but I'm a bit confused as to why something awful happening in your personal life would have a bearing on what you are paid?''

FFS. Read the thread correctly!

The manager mentioned that one of the reasons why they would get a higher pay rise was the fact that the OP had managed to deliver a great performance while dealing with some really difficult circumstances at home.

A manager telling you that you will receive more than other members of staff is shit. I wouldn't trust their judgement or motives one little bit.

@Greenfairydust - erm I did read it correctly thank you. My question still stands.

I manage quite a large group of people and, particularly this year, the pay pot isn't large. I divide it up as fairly as I can based on performance and if I can pull up those on lower salaries compared to others, I do if their performance warrants it.
The jobs market has changed and recruits are coming in on far higher salaries. Up to 15,000 in my industry which then means we lose experience because they leave and go elsewhere.
Sometimes that means I allocate a higher percentage to someone on a lower salary to bring them nearer the very minimum an external recruit has come in on. It all comes out of the pretty shitty pot though.
I know they do discuss salaries, and if one person is saying that they got 15% and another got 3% without all the supporting info that could appear unfair.

I'd be honest with the external person that they came in on significantly more for the same role, and part of our ongoing staff retention strategy is to look at those on lower salaries.

I have also had people blatantly lie about their numbers though, so it could be that.

Were you told you’d receive more than others, or that you’d receive a higher increase?

If the former and increases are based on percentages, it’s a weird thing for a manager to say.

If the latter, I’d take it to mean you’re being given a higher increase than was previously planned for you, and isn’t related to what others get

A friend in a low paid job (large organisation) was telling me one colleague is known to be paid more than everyone else (and they have expenses paid which is not routine practise) but the managers are very strict about staff discussing pay. I bet they are so they can continue to pay majority the very bare minimum.