HR director with no experience

Mildon · August 2003

In fact, my friend has a master's degree in translation from a university in Europe. Her co-worker, who makes more money, doesn't even have an undergraduate degree. She is, however, a single parent, whereas my friend does not. I believe that this may be the key as to why she makes more money.

The problem is that when my friend brought up this issue with the HR director, the HR director told her directly that she didn't have to justify why the other person was being paid more. In fact, she completely refused to even listen to my friend's case.

It's important to note that my friend was chosen over the other employee to use her language skills to not only work by phone with our clients abroad, but to also do written translation, because her language ability is superior(the client interviewed them both by phone and chose my friend). Both started around the same time, and my friend is otherwise an exemplary employee with a good attitude and a good work ethic. I believe that the HR director, who does not have any background in HR, has so little experience dealing with these issues that she decided to just refuse to deal with the problem rather than engaging in negotiations with my friend.

I've heard that people without families get paid less than those who do. But should this apply even when the person without the family is obviously more qualified than the person with the family, if they're both doing the same job?

sonny · August 2003

So THAT's why I have never made any money! What you've heard is not (or should not be) correct and my gut tells me the co worker is not making more money just because she is a single mom. I do not care for the HR Director's response, but it may not be just the HR directors lack of experience, perhaps she inherited this situation and was told from above that this is the way it is to be. .perhaps the co-worker slept with boss or has some other in..am not saying this makes it right, just that stranger things have happened. As to legal recourse, I will leave that to the gurus. I will tell you that a very wise HR director once looked at me following a rant about a similar situation and said, "who was it that told you life was fair?"

LindaS · August 2003

I'm by no means a legal guru but my thought on this subject is that, in absence of some type of discrimination based on one of the protected categories, I really don't think there is much that can be done. If this were a union situation things might be different but it sounds like either your HR director does not have the authority to make a change or doesn't feel a change is necessary. You can always advise your friend to go above the HR director's head but that may lead to other problems. Has your friend gone to HER supervisor to discuss the issue?

Hunter1 · August 2003

I'm sure your friend appreciates you trying to help in this situation. What it boils down to is that unless there's illegal discrimination going on (race, sex, etc), there's not a lot that can be done about it. I am also sure that there are literally millions of cases just like this one in the workforce. Was your friend satisfied with the pay she was receiving BEFORE she found out that someone else was making more? Life isn't fair, but the HR Director doesn't need to negotiate with any employee concerning their pay, unless it's concerted activity. The HR Director should just be working to obey the laws, keep their employer out of trouble, and try to institute policies which are as fair as possible under the circumstances.

Mildon · August 2003

From a legal standpoint there's little that can be done. More than anything else, the current situation only fosters resentment on the part of my friend. Unfortunately, the economy is poor enough so that changing jobs isn't so easy right now. Hopefully that changes soon enough.

Thank you all for your posts!

Balloonman · August 2003

Someone doing the same job is being paid a different amount, so? Each person cuts their own deal when they are hired. What they are being paid has more to do with what they were hired in at then what they are doing now. If one employee was making more at a previous job, they may have offered slightly more then they would pay someone who has less experience but a higher level of education. That happens all the time.
Excellent performance will be the best way for your friend to surpass the other in salary. Of course the question of what business is it of hers what someone else makes could be asked, but that is a whole different issue.
My $0.02 worth.
DJ The Balloonman

Alex2003 · August 2003

For the sake of internal salary consistency and faireness (especially when two people work in the same capacity and department), HR should be concerned about correcting such pay inequity. I think it is important for your friend to let her direct supervisor and HR (which she already did) know about her pay inequity issue. They are not compelled to do anything about it from a legal stand point as other forum folks said. Yet, if they are concerned about retention and customer service, they should. And if your friend does it at appropriate times (like performance reviews) and documents it as employee input(on performance management form, hopefully they have one) without making a huge issue out of it, then she should have a better chance to have her boss on her side.

On a positive note, now your friend knows what salary she can negotiate if she changes jobs. Also, being behind the other employee compensation-wise may give her additional job security if business goes down (although you never know) and reduction in force must be made... Overall, it all depends on the company culture and how these issues are dealth with.

Alex

Mildon · August 2003

Thank you for the input.

I'm happy to report that my friend just managed to find a new part-time directorship position that's much more in-line with her background and career goals. We hope it leads to a full-time position that will allow her to quit the job she's at now.

It's true that salary may depend on one's ability to negotiate. Were this a "normal" company with an experienced HR leader, I'm sure things would be more consistent. In another instance, a different co-worker of mine was hired along with her friend. The HR director told one to not tell the other her salary because she was being paid more money. This is also the first company I've ever worked at that didn't pay mileage. There are two offices about 10 miles apart from each other and employees travel back and forth constantly. Believe it or not, no system is in place for reimbursement!

HR director with no experience

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