Employee Discovers That A Younger Co-Worker’s Salary Is 20% Higher Than Hers, Even Though They Have The Same Job
Your value as an employee should never be based on age.
RDNE Stock Project / Pexels Discussing salaries out loud is often a taboo subject but can lead to eye-opening revelations.
One woman found out that she was making 20% less than her co-worker holding the exact same job. After the co-worker shared this information with her, it bothered her quite a bit, especially since the only real difference between these women seemed to be the age gap.
A woman discovered she was being paid substantially less than a younger co-worker.
Both women began working for the same global company on the same day, and both worked from home. However, the woman noted that she was in her late 50s while her co-worker, who was earning more, was under 40.
This bothered her a lot, but she chalked it up to better salary negotiation at first. Later, when consulting someone on the employee council, she was told that there had been similar occurrences.
Now, she is considering walking out and joining a new company with a higher base salary, but confessed she wouldn't be considering it if not for the pay difference between her and her younger co-worker.
She found herself torn between confronting her employer and walking out.
Karla L. Miller, a Washington Post columnist who offers work-related advice, suggested that she give her employer the opportunity to raise her salary before she walks out.
Miller said that it's effective to mention that through research, you have found you are being paid on the low end of the range for your position and ask what it would take to justify a percent increase.
"No, you shouldn’t have to offer more work, but it’s a diplomatic and effective way to keep the discussion open," she added.
She noted that if that doesn't work, you can attempt this discussion again but use the better job offer as a form of leverage.
Sora Shimazaki / Pexels
Age discrimination in the workplace and salary can be tricky to quantify.
With so many factors at play, and with little to know information from management and HR, labeling this worker's salary as age discrimination would be difficult to prove.
According to MarketWatch, data indicates that salary trends up as you age, which makes sense. The longer you are in the workforce, the more experience you bring to the table. What's notable, however, is that the upward trend seems to stall at around age 50.
Could her age then be a factor in her salary being significantly lower than that of her co-worker in her 40s? It's possible. What's also possible, however, is that she hasn't asked for a raise in the time that this younger employee started working at the company.
As Harvard Business Review noted, it's not about asking for a raise; it's about negotiating the salary you deserve. She already has another offer on the table and that gives her leverage.
Ultimately it comes down to what is best for her — or you.
You may find yourself in a similar position as this at some point. The realization that you are not making the same salary as someone in the same position as you can hit you hard.
You have to decide whether you feel it is best to stay at your current place of employment, where you are comfortable, or risk it all and negotiate for more, knowing that something better might be just around the corner.
Remember, you are your own best advocate. Don't ever be afraid to demand what you know you are worth. Broaching the topic should be expected as long as you address the inconsistency in a professional manner and offer your manager hard facts about the value you bring to the company.
Sahlah Syeda is a writer for YourTango who covers entertainment, news, and human interest topics.