Ask Me Help Desk - Do I have a case to complain - Colleague paid more for same role?

So my company had 3 positions open for the same role. I along with 2 others were hired, we applied from external companys

At the point of salary negotiations, I requested a specific salary. The recruiter stated that this was not possible and I was offered a salary of 4k less than what I originally requested. I was told that "if I thought my offer was bad, you wouldn't want to be the other two". I reluctantly agreed and signed my contract due to being desperate to get out my previous role.

I have since learned 8months down the line, that the 2 other colleagues who were hired for the same role, at the same time were initially offered (without negotiating) the salary that I wanted. Furthermore, my 2 colleagues refused that offer and were then given a 2k increase on that original offer.

It was a different hiring manager who dealt with my two colleagues, however it was for the same job role, starting on the same day.

Do I have a right to feel underpaid? I was told that my desired salary was not within the scale of my role, yet my two colleagues were offered that exact sum and yet managed to increase that further on negotiations, earning 6k more than me.

Any thoughts/feedback would be appreciated.

Regards,

:(

Here's the kicker

Quote:

I reluctantly agreed and signed my contract due to being desperate to get out my previous role.

You can feel whatever you want, but you don't actually have anything to complain about nor any rights as such.

Nothing you can do... there is no legal requirement that people in the same jobs be paid the same amount... actually offers will vary within the range for that position based on your previous experience as well as your ability to negotiate your wages.

In short... three people for three identiacal jobs won't be equally qualified... and they won't be equally good at negotiating their wages.

Basically... you accepted them... you have no grounds to complain. You do your best and if you impress your superiours you can close that gap in your annual reviews and raises if you outperform them.

Ok... that's fair enough. What if over the course of the last 8 months I was 'promoted' to a role of higher authority than the two colleagues. Knowing that they are paid significantly higher than I am, would I have a case to say ask for my salary to match or better that of my two colleagues??

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Originally Posted by jock8186

Ok....that's fair enough. What if over the course of the last 8 months I was 'promoted' to a role of higher authority than the two colleagues. Knowing that they are paid significantly higher than I am, would I have a case to say ask for my salary to match or better that of my two colleagues???

No.. it is what it is. If you make a big stink about it... you might find it hurting your career and future with the company.

How do you know the salary? In my experience, salary info is kept VERY confidential and employees are discouraged from discussing salary with co-workers. Mostly for just this reason.

This also means that if you go to management and complain, they will ask the same question. And if you obtained confidential info you weren't supposed that could also cause you an issue.

My co-workers didn't tell me their specific salary, they did however talk about the companies initial offer (as it was deemed as common knowledge and they genuinely thought we'd all have been offered the same base salary). The initial offer was pretty much the amount in which I requested after turning down the much lower initial offer I was given.

I then confided in a senior colleague who was surprised at my salary and also admitted he was under the impression that the 3 roles would have been employed on the same salary, or at least there or there abouts.

I don't plan on making a big deal over this, but the difference in salary is quite significant. I don't feel it is correct that I was told in no uncertain terms that the salary I wished for was "out of scope" and refused, when the two other employees were offered this salary as a starting figure. Same role, same skills, same experience (I have arguably more), but as far as the role is concerned we are all on the same level.

I have since been given a more senior position (not management, but senior within the role). So surely the "they have more experience/skill" card can't be used?

Quote:

Originally Posted by jock8186

My co-workers didn't tell me their specific salary, they did however talk about the companies initial offer (as it was deemed as common knowledge and they genuinely thought we'd all have been offered the same base salary). The initial offer was pretty much the amount in which I requested after turning down the much lower initial offer I was given.

I then confided in a senior colleague who was surprised at my salary and also admitted he was under the impression that the 3 roles would have been employed on the same salary, or at least there or there abouts.

I don't plan on making a big deal over this, but the difference in salary is quite significant. I don't feel it is correct that I was told in no uncertain terms that the salary I wished for was "out of scope" and refused, when the two other employees were offered this salary as a starting figure. Same role, same skills, same experience (I have arguably more), but as far as the role is concerned we are all on the same level.

I have since been given a more senior position (not management, but senior within the role). So surely the "they have more experience/skill" card can't be used?

You are almost certainly an AT WILL employee... they don't even need a reason to terminate you. This is an important point to feep in mind.

Another is you are violating company policy even trying to argue the "well they make this much" argument, you won't win... trust me. I tried that many years ago as well. I basically ended up finding a much better paying job elsewhere... and in the next 12 months I had nealy doubled my income through two job hops.

On the other... everything is based on what you were making and what you hired in at... what anyone else gets paid has no bearing on this. Complaining makes you appear like a disgruntled employee and it WILL come back to haunt you.

Your options are keep quiet... do better than them and your annual pay raises well eventually put you ahead of them.

Or try to find a new employer that's willing to offer you more.

I've done both over the years. And remember the squeeky well draws the attention... but not the kind you want.

Here's the problem I see. You are working off hearsay, not facts. You really have no facts about salary and offers that you can use. And complaining based on this is likely to to get you in more trouble.

Unless you work for a gov't or for a company with published salary ranges, you are at the mercy of whatever happens. Getting raises that aren't handed to you takes skill that is impossible to teach in a day or two. But you can do it, if you have confidence that you are a valued employee. Bide your time, get to know people who count, and when the time is right, state it with calm, deserving determination: I want more, I deserve more, I need more. And NEVER bring up the other salaries.

Many people often "tell" others they make from 1000 to 10,000 more than they really make, It is a very common issue, so unless you know as a fact it is doubtful you really no.

You make the mistake, so live with it, when they did not agree to your request and they made a offer, you needed to come back with counter offer. You risk not getting the job but that is how you make more money, You were a very poor negotiator and now make less.