Salary Advice

Pedro32561

Would really appreciate some advice on an issue I'm having in work.

I'm in my mid-20's and have worked for a large company for the past 4 years. I've worked very hard and recently went for a promotion which was 2 levels above where I am at the moment. Had the interview and have been told I was successful.

The job profile outlined skills and experience required and also a salary range for the job with a minimum salary and a maximum salary. What should happen is that if my current salary is below the minimum salary for the new job I should move onto that minimum. The issue now is that HR have looked at my existing salary and the minimum salary for the new job and in their opinion it is "too much of a pay rise" for me!! They're looking into it at the moment so I haven't been given any specifics around what they're going to offer.

I'm completely amazed by what they have said. The issue is not inability of the company to pay it's just that they believe I shouldn't get a large pay rise. It seems that if someone older than me with more years in the company and consequently a higher salary had gone for the role they would be treated differently and would get the salary. In fact I believe this may be the case because a similar role was advertised at the same time with the same salary and I believe the person who got that has been in the company much longer than me. I would be very surprised if this person did not get the salary which was advertised as they would most likely not be too far off it anyway.

Any advice anyone can offer? At the moment I'm just sitting tight to see what happens but I may have a fight on my hands should they offer anything less than what was advertised. Really feel like I'm getting screwed!

DubTony

If they'd taken someone from outside the company to do the job it wouldn't be an issue. You are entitled to be paid whatever the position offers, and it should have nothing to do with what your previous salary was.

Talk to your manager, and explain that you feel you should be paid the proper rate for the new job, and that previous salary has no bearing on the new position. It's a promotion you've received, not a cost of living pay rise. If you're not a member of a union, contact citizens information and find out how you can use the threat of an EAT to get what you're entitled to.

Congrats btw.

Malice

It sounds strange to me that HR would actually say that to you. Surely it would be smarter for them to make you the lower offer and then try to explain it away rather than going about things the way they seem to be?

In a previous job a colleague of mine went off on maternity leave. I was told I would be covering a lot of her duties but that there would be no salary increase to match the increased workload. I expressed my unhappiness to my boss and to the union but apparently there was nothing they could do. Anyway, long story short, I found myself another job a few weeks later. Surprise, surprise, once I told my boss I was leaving she threw a big payrise on the table to try to keep me.

I'm not advocating that you try this approach (and certainly not if you don't have another job to go to) but it's worth finding out how much people generally get paid for the position you've gotten. That way you'll know if you're being screwed.

Also, enquire how the salary increases e.g. you've been there 4 years so are presumably pretty settled. Is it possible that 6 months or a year into the new job your salary could be increased to the level it should be at?

qwytre

Congrats on the promotion. I tell you that kind of crap from HR makes by blood boil. You have applied for a new role and have got it and now they are trying to change the terms.

You deserve the salary on offer and you should fight for it, do not accept anything less. This is not a pay increase, what you earned previously is irrelevant. It is a new role with a different salary.

Make it clear to HR that is it not a pay rise. I hope that if you stick to your guns you will get the salary that was advertised. I am sure that if you accepted the role and then demanded an extra 10k on top of the advertised salary that HR would turn that down. So likewise they cannot then turn around and reduce the advertised salary.

People get big pay rises for new roles all the time, it is not unusual at all and I have never come across a situation like you are explaining. Sounds like HR are pulling a fast one to me.

mikemac

Companies had a pay structure and you've already said they was a salary range for this job.
You were successful so now you get the job and the new salary.

If they didn't want to pay the salary they should have advertised a lower minimum rate
You can bet if you got rejected and an external candidate got the job they would have gotten the advertised salary.

Fight it OP!

Vampireskiss

Malice_ wrote: »

It sounds strange to me that HR would actually say that to you. Surely it would be smarter for them to make you the lower offer and then try to explain it away rather than going about things the way they seem to be?

In a previous job a colleague of mine went off on maternity leave. I was told I would be covering a lot of her duties but that there would be no salary increase to match the increased workload. I expressed my unhappiness to my boss and to the union but apparently there was nothing they could do. Anyway, long story short, I found myself another job a few weeks later. Surprise, surprise, once I told my boss I was leaving she threw a big payrise on the table to try to keep me.

I'm not advocating that you try this approach (and certainly not if you don't have another job to go to) but it's worth finding out how much people generally get paid for the position you've gotten. That way you'll know if you're being screwed.

Also, enquire how the salary increases e.g. you've been there 4 years so are presumably pretty settled. Is it possible that 6 months or a year into the new job your salary could be increased to the level it should be at?

did you stay or go to the new job?

Malice

Vampireskiss wrote: »

did you stay or go to the new job?

I went to the other job. It was a lot less money but it was worth it in the long term as I gained a lot of valuable experience which I wouldn't have gotten in the other job.