There are any number of reasons that companies may not want employees discussing their compensation with their coworkers, and just about none of them are good. But as much as they may try to discourage — or even prohibit — those conversations, if you’re in the United States, those conversations are protected by law in most situations.
One human resources department seemingly found that out the hard way after attempting to discipline an employee well-versed in labor law.
u/cocteaubeauty dished on the drama over in r/antiwork last week, explaining that they realized something was awry when their manager pulled them away from a busy work day to speak with HR (who, they noted, “must have made a SPECIAL TRIP because she lives several states away.”)
“[I was] told I was being ‘investigated’ for discussing wages with my other employees,” the redditor wrote. “She told me it was against policy to discuss wages.”
When the reprimanded employee told both their manager and HR that such a policy is illegal, as is taking punitive action in this scenario, they seemed completely lost.
“The right to discuss wages is a right protected by the National Labor Relations Board,” the redditor explained. “I used to be in a union. I know this.”
“Oh, this is news to me! I have been working HR for 18 years and I never knew that,” they recall the HR person saying. “Well try not to do it anyway, it makes people upset, haha.”
“People are entitled to their opinions about what their work is worth,” the employee countered.
They then explained what they did and what they suggest others do if they find themselves in such a situation, which is to request a copy of the company policy and a record of the meeting itself in case retaliation of some sort followed.
In this scenario, the HR rep claimed they had been mistaken about the policy, and begrudgingly gave over documentation that included an apology and confirmation that there was no punitive action as was originally intended.
“Don’t ever take their sh*t you guys,” the Redditor concluded. “Keep talking about wages. Know your worth.”
As is often the case, the folks over at r/antiwork were very supportive of someone knowing their rights and refusing to let an employer walk all over them.