Asking about your current salary in a job interview – should it be made illegal?

annaP79

Asking about your current salary in a job interview/application – should it be made illegal in Ireland ?

what are your thoughts ?

in some of the US States potential employers will not be allowed to ask about your current salary anymore, should Ireland follow the suit ?

Dial Hard

annaP79 wrote:

Asking about your current salary in a job interview/application – should it be made illegal in Ireland ?

I haven't been asked my current salary in years, just what my salary expectation is. And if anyone *did* ask me what I'm on, I'd just respond with my salary expectation.

No need for it to be made illegal.

There's already far too much relevant information a prospective employer can't ask about

Besides it's not illegal to lie about it is it

annaP79

I get the point but ... is telling lies the best start in your future job?

Grassey

Seeing as most jobs end in lies and deceit why not start that way too...

Samuel T. Cogley

No, it's a useful benchmark if you're not right for the company/job.

annaP79

Samuel T. Cogley wrote: »

No, it's a useful benchmark if you're not right for the company/job.

sorry I dnt think I get this,

how my current salary, very personal info that I am asked to reveal to people I dnt know serves as "useful benchmark"

odyssey06

It should be made illegal... there could be grounds for discrimination as new employer uses that as a benchmark and is then repeating previous discrimination based on gender, race etc

That's possibly the reason why certain US states introduced a ban on the practice:
https://www.nytimes.com/2016/08/03/business/dealbook/wage-gap-massachusetts-law-salary-history.html?_r=0

If someone in HR is incapable of assessing salary independently of previous salary, they are incompetent.

Samuel T. Cogley

annaP79 wrote: »

sorry I dnt think I get this,

how my current salary, very personal info that I am asked to reveal to people I dnt know serves as "useful benchmark"

If you're being paid well beyond or well under what the same company pays a similar employee there is usually a reason. If you're willing to take a large pay cut to do a particular job there is usually a reason - any port in a storm and all that.

While talking about money is vulgar, it has it's place and I don't get the hang ups people have on it frankly. If you don't want to reveal that information and you're the stand out candidate you won't need to. If you're one of 100 people applying for the job then you have to give the info you're asked for frankly, and then negotiate from there.

There are far more personal questions asked during interview and I wholeheartedly support certain questions being off limits, this on the otherhand isn't one of them.

coylemj

I don't see how this is a legal issue. You are currently on salary X, you're presumably applying for a job where the salary is higher and you have a vague notion of how much they're prepared to pay (X+Y) so when you're asked for your current salary, you quote a number in between the two, that's what everybody does in the private sector.

Otherwise (if you quote low) you could be offered the same salary you're on now or (if you quote too high) they will figure that they can't afford you.

Refusing to answer the question will lead them to believe that you're too embarrassed to reveal the (low) salary you're on which will severely diminish your chances of getting the position.

annaP79

I get both points

"If someone in HR is incapable of assessing salary independently of previous salary, they are incompetent."

I really agree with this, it seems obvious to me that employer should be able to estimate the cost of my salaries and there is no need to bother me with this

but I get this one too

"If you're one of 100 people applying for the job then you have to give the info you're asked for frankly, and then negotiate from there"

I see the point but sometimes recruiters, or if you apply online, ask straightway about your current salaries, in the end it is fairly private information which normally your current employer knows and Revenue office, and that's it

I dnt see anyone on Linkedin showing what they are currently on

annaP79

coylemj wrote: »

I don't see how this is a legal issue. You are currently on salary X, you're presumably applying for a job where the salary is higher and you have a vague notion of how much they're prepared to pay (X+Y) so when you're asked for your current salary, you quote a number in between the two, that's what everybody does in the private sector.

I wasn't aware of this so .... silly me for being too honest

I really need to ask again , seriously,....is that what people do?

you basically start with a lie ?

coylemj

annaP79 wrote: »

I wasn't aware of this so .... silly me for being too honest

I really need to ask again , seriously,....is that what people do?

you basically start with a lie ?

You're selling a car, nobody has answered the ad.. After a few days, one guy rings up and arranges to call to your place to have a look. While he's looking over the car he asks you if anyone else answered the ad.

Do you tell him......

A. He is the only person who called

B. A couple of people have looked at the car and one of them is definitely interested, you expect him to make an offer tomorrow.

C. Several people have looked over the car, one guy made you an offer on the spot of slightly under the asking price, you've put off accepting it until tomorrow to see if you can get a better offer in the meantime.

annaP79

so business is business ....

I get the above 100%

but somehow thought that when it comes to recruitment things are a bit different, indeed no need to legislate anything if this is how things are

Victor

Deleted User wrote: »

Besides it's not illegal to lie about it is it

But it could be grounds for firing you. Dishonesty doesn't sit well with employers.

annaP79

Victor wrote: »

But it could be grounds for firing you. Dishonesty doesn't sit well with employers.

Dishonesty doesn't sit well indeed however example about car sale shows how people bargain selling stuff in general and your skills are such stuff in some way

and if you are truthful then what ... you reveal very personal info, share it with some random people giving them every opportunity then to make you a lower offer

FizzleSticks

This post has been deleted.

coylemj

When an employer is recruiting, they want to get the best skills for the lowest salary. Now that doesn't mean that they expect a Ph.D. to work for minimum wage but if you're naive enough to disclose your current salary, they will simply top it up by a margin that they think will entice you to move.

In other words, telling them your current salary gives them a starting point from which your new salary will be determined and you are effectively capping the premium (over your current salary) they will offer you for the job.

Going back to my metaphor of the guy selling the car, a common tactic on the part of the savvy buyer is to ask the seller: 'what's your rock bottom price?' The correct seller response is to say: 'make me an offer' but instead, some sellers will blurt out a number and that then becomes the buyer's starting point for (downward) price negotiation.

In the same way, giving a prospective employer your current salary severely compromises your ability to negotiate. Either tell a barefaced lie by inflating it, or dodge the question by saying that you feel your current salary does not reflect your worth in the marketplace.

And calling for it to me made illegal to even ask the question is totally daft, you can always get up and walk out. What kind of a country would it be where the state legislates for what can and can not be discussed in private?

odyssey06

coylemj wrote: »

And calling for it to me made illegal to even ask the question is totally daft, you can always get up and walk out. What kind of a country would it be where the state legislates for what can and can not be discussed in private?

Ireland:
http://www.shelflife.ie/common-job-interview-questions-that-you-actually-cant-ask-but-do/

Any questions regarding age, race, national origin, gender, religion, marital status and sexual orientation are not allowed and are discriminatory.

coylemj

odyssey06 wrote: »

Ireland:
http://www.shelflife.ie/common-job-interview-questions-that-you-actually-cant-ask-but-do/

Any questions regarding age, race, national origin, gender, religion, marital status and sexual orientation are not allowed and are discriminatory.

You're not allowed to ask a candidate their age or their gender?

There is a difference between asking someone a simple question and discriminating on the basis of their answer.

whippet

The prospective employer will have your P45 if you are successful and will know exactly what you were on .. do you want to start a professional relationship on a lie?

I'd have no problem letting a prospective employer know what my earnings are ... and dependant on the potential position I'd have no issue telling them what I'd expect.

ohnonotgmail

whippet wrote: »

The prospective employer will have your P45 if you are successful and will know exactly what you were on .. do you want to start a professional relationship on a lie?

I'd have no problem letting a prospective employer know what my earnings are ... and dependant on the potential position I'd have no issue telling them what I'd expect.

there is no need for a new employer to see your P45. the revenue can send details of your tax credits as an alternative.

odyssey06

coylemj wrote: »

You're not allowed to ask a candidate their age or their gender?
There is a difference between asking someone a simple question and discriminating on the basis of their answer.

You can ask the question, if you have an employment related reason for asking it.
Otherwise, you're not allowed to ask the questions.

Any question that asks a candidate to reveal information about such topics without the question having a job-related basis will violate the various discriminatory laws here in Ireland and in the EU.

Fred Swanson

This post has been deleted.

annaP79

Thnk you All

I actually didn't know you can forward your P45 to Revenue, employers always want to your P45 but the truth is I don't think hiring manager will see your P45, I always forwarded this to HR directly

I really have a problem with anyone asking though, not their business!

but there is always that possibility - not accepting the job unless it pays what I want

coylemj

Just spotted this headline a few minutes ago on Twitter, from NPR (National Public Radio) in the US, story is dated today (May 30th) ......

Proposals Aim To Combat Discrimination Based On Salary History

This year, 25 states and the District of Columbia are considering measures that would bar employers from asking job candidates about their prior salary. Last year, two states — California and Massachusetts — adopted similar policies, aimed at trying to narrow the pay gap for women and minorities.

http://www.npr.org/2017/05/30/528794176/proposals-aim-to-combat-discrimination-based-on-salary-history

brownej

Of course when you are answering the question make sure to take into consideration any other compensation that you get.
Such as health insurance, share options, (other forms of stock compensation), coporate bonus schemes, high performer bonuses etc.
Most companies advertise that they have generous compensation packages but that is entirely subjective.

Where I work I you could take home at the end of the year anything between 0% and 50% above your base salary depending on job grade, individual performance awards, corporate bonus awards and/or stock awards. Make sure you are comparing like with like when answering.