I just learned that my colleagues are making $15-30k more than me and trying to figure out how to handle the situation.

I just learned that my colleagues are making $15-30k more than me and trying to figure out how to handle the situation.

I've been with my employer for 19 years and a co worker with the same amount of time and education is making $15k more than I am and others who have been with the company longer around 5 or so more years are making 30K more. A while back there had been some adjustments but I didn't realize how much of a discrepancy there was until I saw salaries online. We all have the same position and responsibilities.

My boss is not approachable and seems to take any salary discussions as a personal insult -- I should be happy to work in this organization. I am looking for a job but feel like I have been gut punched. Trying to not let this derail how I feel about my value, how I do my job, and not feel resentment towards my colleagues who did nothing to deserve it but my emotions are all over the place. I've felt loyal to this company but realize it is not a two way street.

Would appreciate any insights from those who have been in a similar situation. Thank you!

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71 Comments

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  1. Anonymous

    Hi, I say ask anyway, especially in written form. Have him state his reasons or non reasons on paper and if he doesn't, keep that in mind. If he only wants to have the conversation verbally, let him talk and make a note of it. Send an email reiterating his conversation and ask the questions you may have in written form. You can sue and should definitely sue, but go back to your contract and read everything to make sure they are/aren't following any rules/regulations. Confirm that the amount your colleagues are making is more than yours. Ask why their salary is more if you have the same position and educational background. The fact that "you should be lucky to work here" is a response itself is or at least should be against the law. Do your research and gather your information. Oh, don't be afraid to speak with HR as well. Perhaps speak with HR first and just take notes of all their verbal and non-verbal cues.

  2. Anonymous

    What does that conversation look like with HR?
    I found out that my colleague (who I deem to have the exact experience, education, and job path as I do) is making more money then I am. I have a hurt feeling and want to bring this to your attention.

    If there's a more compelling reason to ask that your salary be re-evaluated, then bring it forward. But if the only argument for a salary bump is that you found out what your co-worker is making, that won't turn out well. No supervisor or HR professional will engage in this pettiness.

  3. Anonymous

    Unfortunately no hr which I think is part of the problem. Appreciate your insight!

  4. Anonymous

    Sorry to hear this; unfortunately, the best way to increase your pay is to find a new job. Best of luck. Remember, when one door closes...

  5. Anonymous

    Often the new inbound hires into an established company or business do get paid more because that is the cost to hire. Definitely if you are doing the same work find a diplomatic way of asking for an adjustment. You won't likely get it all the way up but you could come up some if they are willing to negotiate. If you think it is ageist then that is a different story. Try talking to an employment attorney about your situation in a short consult to see what they recommend your options are because you don't want to blow up a good job if you really otherwise enjoy it there.

  6. Anonymous

    Market rate sometimes increases faster than salary increases raise the income for insiders. It's fair for the insider to request being paid what they'd be paid if they were new. They could go elsewhere and get that pay. (And the organization may not really care if they do, which is stupid since their replacement would get what the OP would be asking for. But lots of employers are stupid.)

  7. Anonymous

    Why is it your business how much they make? I ask this every time someone makes a post like this. It really is none of your business how much others make. You can ask for a raise, but will you get it? Also, why are your salaries published online? Personally, I don't want to know what my co-workers make. I like to stay in my own lane and do my own job.

  8. Amanda O

    you are a better person than I am!

  9. Anonymous

    I agree with you 100%.

    I have access to know how much my coworkers (and everyone else) makes (one of the perks of being in HR I suppose), but I don't go looking unless for some reason I need to. I really don't want to know.

    If I notice significant disparities in a team, I will ask my comp manager to do an analysis. If a manager comes to me asking for an increase for someone, we will review and adjust if necessary.

    For the OP, sounds like you aren't comfortable in broaching this subject with your boss but that is where I recommend you start. You need to have your boss advocating for you and, well, I see that you are already looking so I guess what I would advise you to do is nothing. You can't talk to your boss, you are already doing the one thing I would advise (look elsewhere). But as you look and interview elsewhere, be sure you know your worth before you get to any negotiations. Do your research so you understanding what sort of salary you should be seeking to aid in your job search.

  10. Anonymous

    I totally agree! It's the OP's assessment that they're equal with this co-worker. I'm hard pressed to think that your experience and education are an EXACT match to your colleague's. Perhaps your colleague did a better job at negotiating their salary, maybe they do a better job at advocating for themselves or they write a more compelling year-end review...it could be so many things!

    There's an air of entitlement to your post. If you're that upset about this other person's salary and your boss is unapproachable, and you're that upset about it...find something else.

    You can love your job but your job won't love you back!

  11. Anonymous

    We are all our own bosses of our own careers and should be paid what we're worth!

  12. Rhyme Penttila

    It's literally illegal to tell your employees not to talk about pay.

  13. Anonymous

    Several people in my department were hired around the same time, and at the same title band. I can tell you I aggressively went at my salary negotiations and got what I asked for! Simply not my problem if someone else didn't do as good of a job as I did.

  14. Anonymous

    It is not your problem nor was I implying it was my coworkers problem. It’s an employers duty to look at pay equity.

  15. Maegan, Nike Sales Rep & Career Coach

    Sorry you are faced with this.
    Don't let it mean anything about you or your value. Maybe they negotiated. Maybe they killed their interview. Maybe they had a specific experience at an employer your company saw as valuable.

    Either way, I think it's worth a conversation with your boss now or when you have accepted another job offer. (and make sure where you saw the salaries posted is 100% accurate!)

  16. Anonymous

    Salary compression is a real thing.

  17. Anonymous

    The same thing happened to me in a university job. Others who reported to my boss got bigger raises every year, based on her evaluations. When I tried to get answers out of her about how I could raise my evaluation score, she was vague and impossible to work with. Eventually, my morale suffered to the point that there were actual legitimate complaints (vs. random minor complaints in my evaluations), and I was eventually let go - and I was happy to go.

    So... I have two words of advice: GET OUT!

  18. Anonymous

    Yes

  19. Anonymous

    Wow I didn’t realize I sounded as bitter as you do here. My resentment which I stated I knew was wrong is to my employer not my colleagues, is this post really in the spirit of supporting each other?

  20. Anonymous

    Yes, staying at a single employer that long will definitely cause you to fall way behind in compensation.

    People move around for very good reason. You learn different things, you are perceived to be fresher, more cutting edge and more valuable. Companies must keep your compensation at market value at each jump to a new company. This is momentum due to market pressure. Not to say it's correct or fair but its a reallity and I'm surprised you didn't know this.

    I have moved around every 3 to 5 years. Every 2 years when I don't get a sizable raise or promotion. On average I generally earn 30% more ( and right now closer to 40%) than my peers. Money has always been very important to me. In my career. It's an important metric of success for me but not everyone. And rightfully so. Everyone has different measures of success. Mine happens to be money. If I have to work I want to make more than most for my time. I'm going to love what I do but I am not a bargin. A company needs to pay me top dollar and I make it my business to know what top dollar is.

    While remaining with a company offers safety, comfort and predictability (which are all very nice things to have) it also costs you career growth and money. So this could be one of the reasons you've fallen so far behind in earnings. Your company simply might not have to pay you more because the perception is you're not going anywhere. Is it fair? probably not but you are a very predictable asset. Loyalty is not valued like it was back in the day.

  21. Amanda

    You are absolutely right about perception I’m not going anywhere. It’s an incentive to move on. Appreciate your perspective-thanks!

  22. Anonymous

    Are you roles classified into the same “bands”. Even though you have the same title as your colleagues you may still be technically classified into a different pay grade behind the scenes and not realize it. Why not just ask in a non confrontational way. Say hi - it’s come to my attention that my pay may not be aligned with others with the same roles and responsibilities here. Can you review my compensation and see if adjustments need to be made to ensure pay equity with my colleagues?

  23. Anonymous

    That is a very large difference. Do you do the same jobs as these coworkers? Is your boss the only person you can speak with about your compensation?

  24. Anonymous

    Yes it’s the same job. A few colleagues have been there longer around 5 years but the colleague making 15k more has 5 months more to me. Unfortunately we are so small no hr and boss is it. Good suggestion to approach it with boss. Thanks!

  25. Anonymous

    I would wonder why/how the salaries were suddenly available online.

    The average for anyone in a job these days is 2-4 years...depending on how many more years you plan to work, it might be time to switch companies anyway. It is a bit harder to see a 20-year stint with one company vs showing several companies in the same timeframe (yeah, 'loyalty' is not valued now, whereas flexibility, resilience, and adaptability are).

    Sounds like your boss/HR aren't too approachable, also sounds like either your boss wasn't too interested in you OR was more interested in watching his budget.

    Focus on your job search, don't look back (lesson learned) - trying to figure out how all this happened isn't useful to you as you likely will never discover all the details.

    BTW, this really sucks for you - unbelievable!

  26. Amanda

    Thank you so true . My boss is 86 years old and not interested in hr issues

  27. Maggie Stone

    They are making more because they started out at a higher salary. Your raises are based off a salary from 18 years ago. You definitely have a case to be brought up to parity.

  28. Anonymous

    Try and remove the emotion.
    Don’t take it personally and educate yourself. Talk with an employment lawyer who can provide the advice and guidance of what you can and can not do in your situation. Arm yourself with the facts and lead with a logical argument to get a higher pay. If not, start seeking other opportunities while you are still employed.

  29. Anonymous

    An employment lawyer for what?! Are you suggesting that the OP litigate a pay increase?

  30. Cara Gardner

    Sounds like you work for a nonprofit if there are salaries posted online...I agree with advice shared by others. Here's my additional insight

    Having been a manager, I came into a scenario where my two direct reports had the same title, hired somewhat about same time, but one had a considerably higher salary. My initial thought was that the other didn't negotiate and didn't ask for more, and that can easily happen.

    They didn't know of their salary differences (that I am aware of)

    I did ask HR about it. And their response was that the one with a higher salary lived in a "premium city" (We all had remote jobs). And the salary in a premium city was higher. They said that was the case, but even speaking with my manager, they were both hired in the same city, tho later moved, so it didn't make sense to me...anyway...

    Interestingly, not long after this conversation, the company did make salary adjustments to many employees salaries. Forgetting what they called it, but basically it was to bring them to current market rates. So my direct report did get an adjustment.

    But also as a manager, because this employee was excelling and performing well beyond the other, i made note of that in the performance review, which then also boosted rate for a salary increase.

    So all that to say, have a conversation with your manager. Approach it from the perspective of, what else can I do for the company to achieve goals that could lead to a salary promotion. Also show any research of what the going average salary is for your job. Check salary.com, glassdoor and payscale.com

    Also talk to HR. Explain you talked with your manager, you are going to work on X,Y,Z, but ask them if the company makes any adjustments for market rates, show them your research.

    Lastly, put that resume together. You may not want to leave, but that is often the best way to increase your salary.

  31. Lorraine Walters

    Great advice.

  32. Anonymous

    Thank you so helpful!

  33. Stephanie Branch Lekowski

    If the employee can get past their anger and resentment this could be successful. If the manager gives the 1,000 yard stare or tells them their hands are tied by the budget they'll know where they stand.

  34. Anonymous

    I was [almost] never upset with what I made until I learned what a colleague made. There could be many reasons for this. A person's job offer is a point-in-time evaluation of the job market, experience, education, and the "wow factor" during the interview process. Much of this can be subjective, as pay bands tend to be somewhat fluid in many industries, and hiring managers have latitude, especially if the person has a counteroffer. If they have been there several years, like you, their increases have been likely based upon a percentage rather than a number, which could also widen the gap in those higher in the pay band. While you all might have the same experience, you may all have been hired at different times and circumstances. Since you have been there a while, and since the salaries appear (from your post) to be public knowledge, you should ask for a parity increase. I worked at a software company for 22 years and got two parity increases, primarily because of promotions, but one was $30K, the other $20K.

  35. Anonymous

    My comment was about her being an older employee having been there for 19 years. If it is due to ageism she might have a leg to stand on here. Otherwise your unpleasant response to someone who is responding to a person asking for advice is kind of rude. If you have nothing good to say here don't comment...

  36. Tami Cannizzaro

    Sorry this has caused you hard feelings. My experience with salary, raises and negotiations: it's more effective to go in with "Here are my quantifiable wins/contributions from the past 12 months that are worthy of a raise". Also, do research for your job title, industry and city to show that you are below par. Those 2 together help to get results and in a non-emotional conversation.

    Most bosses/businesses are not in the habit of giving us raises simply because our co-workers make more money.

    At least this has been my experience. It's best to show them my value vs. saying "I want what she has", with the only justification being our titles are the same/we've been here the same years.

  37. Anonymous

    i am sorry this caused you hard feelings , really .... co workers should NEVER be making 15/30 K more a year than you, its not a question of FEELINGS . its a terrible way to treat your long term employees. this is why people make the informed choice to quit. i make 37 to 40 K a YEAR and i am not minimum wage. so that difference is HUGE, and hiring managers should NEVER let someone negocitate their salary SOOO much that it is an actual minimum wage. offer an actaul competitive wage that's in the realm of what others offer to start off. but no lets play games and take advantage of people and then cry ohhhh feelings.

  38. Tami Cannizzaro

    My opinion: Not true. We each have the opportunity to negotiate our salary when hired. If I accept a salary that I believe is a good wage, then you come in the month after me and negotiate what you believe to be a good wage that happens to be more than what I received, that's my fault for not negotiating. OR perhaps you have more/different experience than I do. The company is under no obligation to pay the same wage "just because".

  39. Anonymous

    just because ,,, WOW... yeah it doesnt work like that. you can't just pick and choose what employees you pay, it isnt ethical or moral or fair , there is NO reson for it and people just stop justificationa of this sort of bad management. its WRONG on SOOOO many levels. a position has a salary range and it has to be respected, goin minimum wage OVER that RANGE has no reason to be. nothing personal but i am tired of bad management apologists. i know my boss makes more than me , but not the girls who o the SAME job. they dont have more education. i have as much experiance. if i had a company i would not run it like that becuse its asking for trouble, and people are ALLOWED to discuss salary. for a very good reason , this exact reason... because emplyers cant do stuff JUST BECAUSE.

  40. Anonymous

    You can't stay with an organization for 19 years and expect to be paid at current market rate. That's just not how it works. That's why people don't stay at jobs for 19 years anymore. They quit and take new opportunities for more money.

  41. Anonymous

    You’re missing the part where this person says these other people have been there the same amount of time or 5 years longer.

  42. Jen

    That’s not the situation. This is about being paid significantly less than people who have been there the same amount of time.

  43. Anonymous

    What do you do if you HAVE stayed somewhere for more than a decade? Do you really need to start over and lose benefits, PTO, etc. It punishes the employee for trying to improve their career.

  44. Anonymous

    Try not to take it personally or as a sign that you are not valued. It’s just that you are not playing the game.

    An employee who started just a smidge over you has benefitted from it with compound growth from multiple 1-3% raises. A different starting place changes the trajectory. An employee who started off in a high-cost-of-living metro or who job-jumps every 3-5 years will make more. That’s the game.

    If you wish to stay with your current employer, research what the salary expectations are for your role and experience. Once you’re ready to have a constructive and persuasive conversation, contact your boss/HR and ask to schedule a discussion about salary adjustments.

    You’ve mentioned that your boss isn’t approachable on the subject which unfortunately means that you’ll have to be the adult in the room. I can’t guess on whether it’s better to talk to them first or HR first - probably better to talk to them first and let them get over it emotionally rather than direct to HR and let them feel blindsided.

    Be prepared emotionally that they may attempt “in order to get more compensation, you’ll need to perform more work” and you’ll have to redirect to “While I’m open to taking on additional responsibilities in the future, right now I am asking for a salary evaluation and potential adjustment evaluating my salary compared to those with the similar responsibilities, role and experience”.

    It’s scary. But I’ve seen it done. I saw someone who had been hired as and Admin advocate successfully to get onto the Project Manager pay scale since that was the work she had grown in to.

    Your boss may be unapproachable, but hopefully some levelheaded folks in HR can help them see that the alternative is the work it would take to hire and extensively train someone else to do your job if you leave for better compensation. Hopefully they’ll recognize that that’s harder. Make it rain!

  45. Gerald Combe

    This is the best response! So many other posts advising you to quit after 19 years invested! Snowflakes. Take the professional approach. Your situation, though unfair, is quite common throughout the market, especially in manufacturing jobs. Gather your facts, harness your emotions and approach HR first. Keep records of everything. Best of luck!

  46. Anonymous

    Even if your direct manager was open to a leveling of salary, their policies may not allow such a big bump in pay. As the market has fluctuated, I think a lot of long term employees are finding themselves in this position. And this is exactly why people are only staying with organizations for a couple of years.

    The problem is that, even with understanding how it got this way, it still makes you feel bad about your job.

    I’d start looking for another position with you new found understanding of there market for your work. They should have already noticed the disparity and be working towards making your compensation at least equal to that of the newer employees. By not doing so, they’ve pretty much given you their answer. By now, every manager and HR should be aware that this type of disparity will come to light eventually.

    Sorry you are in this position.

  47. Anonymous

    Thank you!

  48. Lorraine Herrera

    Their policies are not more important than te law. Equal Pay Act exist, that is the reason why having conversations about salary is a protected action.

  49. Anonymous

    Unfortunately you've been at one place for so long you are bound to make less. Maybe go out and get an offer at a new place use that for leverage to get an adjustment to your pay.

  50. Anonymous

    That's taking a gamble you better be sure you'll win. It's like threatening to break up with your partner if they don't propose. No one appreciates an ultimatum.

  51. Anonymous

    I would talk with Human Resources, Employee assistance, the state EEO and your starting right by asking for suggestions. Keep going forward if you don’t advocate for yourself no one will. Hold your head high make a plan & follow through. Good Luck!

  52. Anonymous

    Yes, 2 decades with the same company will do that.

  53. Anonymous

    I disagree with the people saying if you stay too long you’ll make less than newer hires. A position usually has a salary range. If you’re in a position a long time you could reach the top with nowhere to go, but this sounds like you are at the bottom and the 15k are at the very top. People making 30k aren’t normally in the same salary range, someone making that much more would be a different level.

    go to HR and ask them what the range is supposed to be.

  54. Anonymous

    Are they in the same location as you? Salary is not highly dependent on the market and the location. For example CA and NYC can be 15-20% higher. Certification and licenses matter as well.

    If all things are equal than a month few things too consider before you discuss with your manager. Are you prepared to leave for a higher salary? Most private companies are adjust their salaries but do not keep up with the market so you can may need to leave. If you like where you are, set a time and an agenda of what you'd like to discuss with your manager and bring the facts. Send him what you are seeing in the market and while you are happy with your job you'd like to discuss how you can get a market adjustment.

    I'm actually doing an analysis now for my leadership on our employers with 15+ experience being paid less than new employees. The issue is my company allows adjustments once a year so if the manager misses the window we're going to watch all of that internal knowledge walk out the door.

  55. Anonymous

    I've been in a similar situation. Even though the discrepancy was not as large, the favoritism was rampant. If they're not open to talking to you about it, I'd find something else and move on. I have learned that loyalty to an organization really means nothing, sadly, and you have to look out for yourself.

  56. JJ

    This is why so many hate pay transparency. They do not want to have to catch people up when there is a tight labor market and they start throwing money around. Of course your boss hates to talk about money. And it’s worked for 19 years.

  57. emilyrp20

    Sometimes pay is based on performance. It’s not enough to just have longevity anymore.

  58. Liz Milne

    Your boss takes salary discussions as a personal affront because he/ she knows that's a GREAT WAY to save money for management bonuses!

    I think it's time to take a deep breath and say that the current salary disparity is no longer acceptable, and as someone with 19 years experience with the company, you deserve a salary at least commensurate with the top earner in your position or similar.

    Do be prepared to leave though, if he refuses you...

  59. Rachel

    I wouldn't take it as a gut punch necessarily. When you started, it's possible they negotiated higher of a starting salary than you. However, know your worth. Go into the conversation knowing what others in your industry are making and negotiate for it.

  60. Marie-Pier Joubert

    Hi OP, I would suggest that you apply to other jobs and see how you are "worth" in the market. Get offers. This will be your BATNA (Best alternative to a negociated agreement) and the salary and perks of the offer will become the minimum acceptable amount and perks that you will accept from your current position. Having a BATNA will give you leverage and power during the negotiation with your boss. Take your time to have an excellent BATNA, keep your composure - do not show your game or your emotions.

    Reading suggestions: Getting to Yes by Roger Fisher and William Ury, The 48 laws of power by Robert Greene.

    Good luck!

  61. Anonymous

    This is good advise, just be careful because your boss may not accept the negotiations and may refuse to offer you more to stay. Be prepared for that and prepared to move on if they do not counter- offer.

    Another alternative is to write a salary proposal and reference the market rates in your area for similar positions, with similar skill levels (beginning, intermediate, and advanced). Your initial rate probably had a lot to do with your prior experience compared to theirs, along with what you asked for in the interview. Your peers may have asked for a higher salary than you did. Therefore, that is no ones fault, including the company. With that being said, there is nothing wrong with typing up a salary proposal and asking for a raise. Since the cost of living has significantly increased in the past few years, that would also be good information to include. I would not mention you are aware of the other employees making more than you. Approach it as you would like a salary adjustment based on the average rate for similar positions and the significant increase in the COA (Cost of living) over the past few years. Please do not look at this as the company not valuing you, or valuing you less. There are a lot of things that factor into salaries.

  62. Anonymous

    I've been in this situation also.
    When I mentioned it, I got a cold shoulder from management, and ultimately ostrasized from job assignments, and ultimately ended in me seeing a therapist, and terminated. Tred lightly and move.

  63. Lorraine Herrera

    They violated your rights. That is retaliation after doing legally protected action.

  64. Heather Haaland

    For my annual review, I look at market rates for my position and look at jobs on LinkedIn to see what companies are paying in addition to COLA (cost of living adjustments). Use this information alongside how you met and exceed your goals.

    If your company does an annual increase for all employees at once you can use the same tactics just switch the timing of the convo with your manager.

  65. Heather Haaland

    you could also position this as a new years outlook. I just wouldn’t mention what your coworkers make.

  66. Anonymous

    This happened to me as well.

  67. Lorraine Herrera

    Have a conversation with your boss and ask for a salary adjustment.
    I did it once and my salary went 20K up. He made up excuses of why the difference, but it doesn’t matter, talking about salary is a protected action. Now, if you are a female and they are male employees, with similar qualifications, that is not an opps, is a violation of the Equal Pay Act and is the only protected class that doesn’t need to go through EEOC to be able to file a lawsuit.

    Edit: I see many people saying that it depends on initial offer. It might be the case, however, you can discuss salary with your manager at any time. Collect your information, your qualifications, your coworker’s qualifications, your seniority over them and make a reasonable estimate of how much you expect. If your boss asks you to do the first offer, say something a little higher than your estimate, so you can have space for negotiation.

  68. thumpertrax

    I agree, you need an equity alignment for sure.

  69. LORI-ANN BURLINGAME

    Be carefully -- people exaggerate. However, you may want to reach out to your HR department and ask them how they calculate salaries for your position. It is often based on years of experience, level of education, and your specific department.

    Early in my career, I worked on an executive management inventory database. It detailed who was going to promoted and in what position. It was a real eye opener.

  70. Farah Bajwa

    Sometimes the salary isn't up to them, they just are the middle man. Since, really, he's not the one paying you , the company is - Is this something you can discuss with your HR?

  71. Anonymous

    You should have a copy of your job description and update it with your current duties, hopefully adding to it. Does your title match the description? I've had luck (with a very supportive boss) at tweaking duties and titles to get bumps in pay. Small ones, but we take a crack at it every 6-12 months to help me catch up.

    My boss also taught me to pull job duties from comparable job postings so that when HR goes googling, things match up.

    I'm sorry you're going through this. I've held on to resentment in the last few years as some of our childcare care discount policies were changed and not being appropriated equally or transparently. I promised myself I would let it go, ask for what I deserve, and leave if necessary. It's really hard to shake though - Good Luck!

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