[bigtimegames]

This is a good story for all to realize -- you CAN talk about your OWN pay to anyone you want. Every employer I know has tried to say "you can't do that" or "its in your contract" and I would rebuff and say the contract is illegal/non-binding as it goes against labor laws (in the US as per various labor laws and an executive order as recently as Obama). I get really annoyed w/ HR in firms -- their goal is to stop information from being shared to control things. On the flip side I do not agree that just because your colleague makes X that you deserve X. Pay never consistent and I have no problem with that part given we aren't clones of each other either.

[dx034]

Is that a US think? I've worked for employers in several European countries and have never heard an employer telling me not to discuss pay. Once a manager told me not to tell everyone about a pay raise as it was out of schedule and he didn't want lengthy discussions with other employees. But that was his personal request, not a request by HR. If I had wanted to discuss it I could've done without consequences, he made that clear as well.

It's still unusual to discuss pay in many companies but not because the employer prohibits it.

[colejohnson66]

Is salary negation a common thing in Europe? Because in the US, it’s pervasive if you’re salaried (not hourly). The problem then becomes: if I negotiated, say, $75k/year, but my equally skilled coworker negotiated $85k/year, it doesn’t look good on the company. So the company just pushes you to not share at all. And it’s worked.

[chakhs]

yes salary is negotiable in Europe but mostly within a range depending on your level (which is usually not transparent, you don't know the ranges). people mostly avoid salary discussion because of cultural reasons I guess, but never due to the employer, I can't imagine HR telling someone to not discuss their salary.

[makison]

Yeah, it is quite common. In IT. I wouldn't say it is in other domains.