[Sparklechick]

Okay here's the situation.

I found out that a Secretarial position in our Sales Dept has the same salary as what I am earning. This position reports to someone in my position (I am a Personal Assistant).

SO, would you mention this to your boss when doing salary reviews?

There are 150 people in my team (the largest in Technology) and I find out that I'm earning the same as someone in a lower position within Sales (looking after a team of about 10).

We are doing salary reviews at the moment and I'm wondering if I should bring this up.

What would you do?

[Darkling]

So you will be saying that someone in a lower position is getting paid the same as someone in a higher position.

You may find that instead of you getting a rise that she gets a pay cut.

[Penny]

I'd wouldn't mention it, it might just sound petty. But I would add into my justification for getting a payrise, how your job is different & more demanding(?) to a standard secretarial role and therefore should be paid more.

I hate pay review time. I suck at asking for more money. But I haven't had to worry about it the last few years they have just given it to me. This year it wouldn't surprise me if I get none, because I have had nice payrises the last few years, and my boss is a big meany.

[kall]

Originally Posted by Darkling

So you will be saying that someone in a lower position is getting paid the same as someone in a higher position.

You may find that instead of you getting a rise that she gets a pay cut.

Nup.

That's not legal in NZ.

You can demote somebody but you can't drop their pay to a lower level...my Team Leader at my last job found that out when they made her a CSR, but couldn't drop her pay.

[Darkling]

Originally Posted by kall

Nup.

That's not legal in NZ.

You can demote somebody but you can't drop their pay to a lower level...my Team Leader at my last job found that out when they made her a CSR, but couldn't drop her pay.

I might just be moving to NZ then.

Pay cuts are legal here as long as they can be justified and people are employed to justify such things.

Much like an insurance company's loss adjusters.

Legal or not, cutting someones salary won't motivate the person...and if she/he found out, you'd have a nice 'enemy' doing all she/he can to torpedo your carreer.

Going to complain with the boss he/she earns as much etc... guess that this is indeed sounding pitty

but you can plead for your cause, as said above mentioning your xtra responsibility etc... that a difference in wage is a stimulation without mentioning names, making clear something isn't ok...
Diplomacy works better then confrontation in most cases, think about ways to bring the message, and don't try to minimize the other's persons position, that is never good except if that person is doing a bad job

[Penny]

These might make you feel better... atleast they aren't your comments...

Evaluations Believe it or not!! (and it's very believable), these are actual
quotes taken from Federal Government employee performance evaluations.

1. "Since my last report, this employee has reached rock-bottom and has started to dig."
2. "I would not allow this employee to breed."
3. "This employee is really not so much of a has-been, but more of a definite won't be."
4. "Works well when under constant supervision and cornered like a rat in a trap."
5. "When she opens her mouth, it seems that it is only to change feet."
6. "He would be out of his depth in a parking lot puddle."
7. "This young lady has delusions of adequacy."
8. "He sets low personal standards and then consistently fails to achieve them."
9. "This employee is depriving a village somewhere of an idiot."
10. "This employee should go far, and the sooner he starts, the better."
11. "Got a full 6-pack, but lacks the plastic thingy to hold it all together."
12. "A gross ignoramus--144 times worse than an ordinary ignoramus."
13. "He doesn't have ulcers, but he's a carrier."
14. "I would like to go hunting with him sometime."
15. "He's been working with glue too much."
16. "He would argue with a signpost."
17. "He brings a lot of joy whenever he leaves the room."
18. "When his IQ reaches 50, he should sell."
19. "If you see two people talking and one looks bored, he's the other one."
20. "A photographic memory but with the lens cover glued on."
21. "A prime candidate for natural de-selection."
22. "Donated his brain to science before he was done using it."
23. "Gates are down, the lights are flashing, but the train isn't coming."
24. "He's got two brains, one is lost and the other is out looking for it."
25. "If he were any more stupid, he'd have to be watered twice a week."
26. "If you give him a penny for his thoughts, you'd get change."
27. "If you stand close enough to him, you can hear the ocean."
28. "It's hard to believe he beat out 1,000,000 other sperm."
29. "One neuron short of a synapse."
30. "Some drink from the fountain of knowledge; he only gargled."
31. "Takes him 2 hours to watch '60-minutes'."
32. "The wheel is turning, but the hamster is dead."

[Ironic]

Pay rates are calculated on many factors, age, experience, who the person is related to etc. Its just a fact of big business.

Rather than worrying about that others get paid, focus on what you bring to the company when asking for a pay review. It doesnt really matter what anyone else is earning. Yes I know its unfair but so is life.

By focusing on the negatives (lifes a bitch) rather than positives (your own) you really are only harming your own chances.

Focus on you and your talents and the pay rise is assured

[edshuck]

Wow penny,

That is a great list.

I have neighbors who voted for number 18 last presidential election.

Now if we can just get him to dig for the darn truffles.