talk about what she's paying other employees?

My boss just hired two employees and tells me how much she's paying them, who she's going to give raises to in a couple of months, what their bonuses are. I mean, it's a small office and I've been there the longest and she sees me as her support and confidant. But it starts to feel weird when a new employee will be making the same amount I made six months ago (after working there for four years) and I haven't gotten a bonus yet... It just feels weird.

Not a good idea. It should be confidential information.

I'm just wondering if I should ask her to stop sharing the information, or use it for my own benefit...

heartbeatocean said:

Use it for your own benefit.

How unfair is it that you are being underpaid?

my new boss to be said do not discuss your salary with anyone!

luv4u said:

Agreed, your boss should not be disclosing this information to you.

heartbeatocean said:

No.

not appropriate.

So should I ask her to stop?

heartbeatocean said:

I would.

heartbeatocean said:

ask her to stop

she may also be sharing your info with others ... so

heartbeatocean said:

you could:

a) just kind of politely, in good humor, plug your ears and say "TMI!" the next time your boss starts talking about it, or

b) the next time your boss gives that info, very politely ask, "so, are you telling other people what I'M making, too?" and let bossie know you're not totally comfortable with that.

Anx said:

Oooh, I like those answers.

Thanks. Now can I bitch?

Yesterday I started working on a project and all day she kept repeating that the project needed to be done by the next morning, over and over. It was really irritating me and I couldn't figure out why she kept saying it.

At the end of the day, she told me she had really wanted to give the project to the new employee to finish, after I had busted my butt doing it.

I just sent her an email asking her, next time, to not be afraid to tell me what she prefers to do with the workday.

It should be confidential, because I'll turn into Mr. Me Too if I hear any whiff of salary talk.

Mara said:

exactly, it's human nature and it feels weird.

Depends on the office culture, but if I ran a business, everybody would know what everybody makes. People talk anyway. Might as well have it out there. If I can't honestly justify what everybody is being paid, there is some kind of problem.

heartbeatocean said:

It's never appropriate.

And if you work for a large company with an H.R. division, etc., it may even be against company policy. They can get fired for it.

HereToRockYourWorld said:

that would be great if all your employees had the same sense of perspective that you do, but since that's rarely the case, i don't see how everyone knowing each other's salary could possibly be a good thing.

HereToRockYourWorld said:

Interesting perspective. I think that's where she's coming from. I don't think she's telling them what I make, or they'd get jealous. Psychologically though, I'd kind of rather not know. Then I can simply "compete with myself" and not wonder what's going on.

heartbeatocean said:

My boss just emailed me back and said she didn't want "to step on my toes" by taking away a project that I started. She was nice about it though.

heartbeatocean said:

not good.

Is she a "yes" person? Avoids conflict resolution?

Anx said:

That's a good point. The previous employee thought she deserved a higher wage because of her age and that she had made more on other jobs. But from the boss's perspective, she was training and doing about 1/4 the work of people making the amount she wanted. Finally, they had a big fight about it and the employee walked off the job.

Imago said:

Although she puts up a tough front to everyone, she's a bit of a people pleaser. With these new employees, yesterday she kept asking me which clients I prefer to work on -- like I really give a f*** which clients I work on. I'd rather she just tell me what to do, pay me, and leave me alone.

I just sent her another email asking her to simply tell me what she needs to be done.

Anx said:

Well, maybe this is one reason why I shouldn't have a business.

But the reason I think it would be a good thing is that everybody would know exactly what it takes to make a given amount of money. It could eliminate resentment.

That would require that I put a lot of thought into salary structure, to make it reasonable and fair.

Part of it is that, in my experience, people do talk. I have always known what coworkers in similar positions made, 'cause we were always curious. Even at workplaces where we were specifically forbidden to talk about it. We all knew. What we DIDN'T know, at least in some cases, is why there were differences. If the management had just been up-front, we wouldn't have had to wonder.

My CBL's at work specifically tell you to never talk about pay with other associates.

Just sayin'.