Job Discussion Forums

[nomad soul]

Money, money, money, money. Money!
Some people got to have it.
Hey, Hey, Hey.
Some people really need it.*

What's your take on disclosing one's personal salary to others, including coworkers?

Do you feel there's an obligation to share such info on this forum and/or with coworkers because it's helpful? Moreover, do you trust what others say they earn? Or do you suspect some people inflate those numbers?

On the other hand, do you withhold info about your salary from others? You may feel it's no one's business what you or anyone else makes (for whatever reason).

Your comments are welcome.

- - - - - - - - -

* "For the Love of Money" by the O'Jays (www.lyricsbox.com/the-ojays-lyrics-for-the-love-of-money-74l2rfl.html)

[MixtecaMike]

I have my doubts about what some people claim to get, both high and low, but at the end of the day I get what I get, and I'm either happy with it or not. (I am.) So I'll vote for no disclosure.

[peripatetic_soul]

We were obliged not to disclose salaries, as that created some animosity among those who didn't receive comparable salary/benefit packages, even though credentials ostensibly vary widely. I don't feel it's professional in any work place. Besides, how can one predict such info, given the sweeping changes occurring in so many institutions? What may have been the standard range one year may not be the case in the next.
I vote no.

[water rat]

I can't imagine why we would disclose salaries on this forum. If a member really needed to know a certain other member's salary, I suppose the proper thing to do would be to PM him or her. Otherwise it's just bad form. Please see the Japan forum where there is presently a troll who exists for no other reason but to brag about how much he claims to make. I say 'claim' because he is semi-literate and has no business being an English teacher or even a member of this forum.

Having said that, I once got into a lively, I should say livid discussion with a Chinese-Indonesian creep of a school manager who told me that it would be "unprofessional" for him to disclose other teachers' salaries to me. Well, it would be if his sole reason for not doing so was to make secret deals with every teacher to see how much he could cheat them and pocket the difference for himself. I was of the opinion that it is dishonest and unfair to pay different people a different wage for the same work. He countered that his way was the way everybody did it in Indonesia. I countered that that did not make it right. He countered that it was the way everybody did it in Indonesia. I countered that that did not make it right. And so on...

It seems to me that if someone took the trouble to get a masters or a PhD in polemics or smart-assed rhetorical backtalk, and they are teaching the same black-sheep pimply students that got kicked out of every legitimate high school but the one we're trying to teach at, and teaching essentially the same classes as I, it is their problem if they have a huge college debt to service - because I don't see that all their higher "learnin'" has made them any better at handling twits and twats than I am. How does having a Masters or two in Linguinistics change the fact that the photocopier is broken again, the textbooks still haven't come and the students very adamantly are set on paying no attention whatsoever?

[nomad soul]

For those of you who ticked "It depends," what are your criteria or the circumstances for deciding whether or not to disclose one's salary to others?

[cmp45]

[jobsworthjohn]

I voted yes though I lean towards depends. Salary levels are a key piece of information that ppl should be free to share - but not obliged. As for braggarts and fibbers, of course they exist everywhere and methinks most here are adult enough to see through that. My tuppence ...

[mnruman]

I voted yes, but upon refleting on my decision I would probably say it depends on the work place and if they ask for salaries not to be discussed and again as the above post this would depend on how good of an employer they are.

[nomad soul]

How does disclosing your salary on this forum or to coworkers benefit others since pay is generally determined on an individual basis using various criteria (e.g., relevancy and level of credentials, years of experience, relevancy of experience, nationality, etc)?

[jobsworthjohn]

Except of course in many if not most cases those are not hard and fixed rules. Knowing what one can realistically expect allows an informed position to negotiate from.

[nomad soul]

[cmp45]

[Pikgitina]

Where I work, we have a minority of direct hires and a majority of contracted teachers, aka 'contractors'. The direct hires and contractors with similar qualifications and experience tend to earn similar monthly salaries as far as I am able to tell, but the direct hires ultimately earn more annually. I have disclosed what I make to two or three people and so have they - in I'll show you mine if you show me yours type conversations. So once revealed, it was not discussed again.

Like someone else mentioned, people are curious. I know I am.

Disclosing this kind of information can be very divisive and for that reason I chose "It depends".

[nomad soul]

Similarly, for those who ticked "I'm for it," what's your reason as to why salaries should be disclosed on these forums and/or to coworkers?

[scot47]

I think there may be cultural differences depending on what side of the pond you are from. Here in Ukania it is much more common for people to discuss these things openly. It is part of the tradition of Collective Bargaining !