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New York City bans employers from asking potential workers about past salary

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Re: New York City bans employers from asking potential workers about past salary

#161

Post by ryandrake »

pmoriarty wrote: post #43

I never answer questions about my past or expected salary, not to employers and not to recruiters. Most employers don't ask, and the few that have (perhaps by having a part of an employment form ask for previous salary) have never made my leaving that information out an issue. Most recruiters, if they even ask, respect my decision not to talk about it, but I've been pressed hard on this by a handful of recruiters, an…

I've had a handful of potential employers ask straight up for my current salary, and they ALL got squirrely when I refused to disclose it. Currently batting zero with companies that ask for (and I politely decline to give) that info.

EDIT: Also I kind of disagree with your assessment that it's a "seller's market" for IT talent. A lot of companies appear to be fishing for good deals, but is there really that much actual hiring going on? A lot of companies saying they're looking for talent does not a hot job market make.

Re: New York City bans employers from asking potential workers about past salary

#162

Post by enraged_camel »

VT_Drew wrote: post #129
louisswiss wrote: post #82

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Agree with you in principle (your previous deal with company A is absolutely none of company B's business) but I would like to challenge you on one point: > I'm placed at a disadvantage in negotiations if I name a number first. ... This is unlikely to be true. Generally, in price negotiations it is advantageous to name a number first. This is known as anchoring and basically the theory is that the end result is bette…

>Generally, in price negotiations it is advantageous to name a number first. This is absolutely 100% wrong. In price negotiations you will almost always fair better if you force the other party to bring up a number first.

Exactly. Whoever names a number first puts themselves at a significant disadvantage.

Re: New York City bans employers from asking potential workers about past salary

#163

Post by jondubois »

I think this law is silly.

If you don't like this question, then you can either choose not to answer it or use it to your advantage by 'rounding up' your numbers - This should actually help you with your negotiations as an employee.

In the unlikely event that they ask for proof, you can always tell them that your personal finances are a private matter between you and your accountant.

Re: New York City bans employers from asking potential workers about past salary

#164

Post by lr4444lr »

Ultramax wrote: post #10

Seems like an ethics test. Will you tell the truth about your previous low salary or lie to make sure you don't get lowballed? Then for the employer, will you decrease the salary to match previous low rates or wages? Or will you pay him/her the market rate regardless? Personally, I have always been asked how much I made at previous places. I prefer to give a range than specify individually.

But it's not a dilemma. There's nothing wrong with saying "I don't disclose my past salary. It's personal. Let's focus on this job, and if you make me an offer, we can discuss that."

Re: New York City bans employers from asking potential workers about past salary

#165

Post by [deleted] »

arunitc wrote: post #126

Here in India, you are not only asked your previous salary, you have to provide your last (sometimes three) payslip while joining. Some companies have a policy of NOT giving more than a 30% hike from your previous salary - you need top management approval for such a hike.

[deleted]

Re: New York City bans employers from asking potential workers about past salary

#167

Post by krenden9 »

jimparkins wrote: post #20

Have a google for: "can i lie to a employer about past salary" - it really really messes with people - people feel super uncertain about how to approach this situation. Throwing any confidence they have during the negotiation out the window. Even now I hesitate to write this as a million people will come out and say never lie - what if they found out. More than banning. There needs to be acceptance that if someone as…

I totally lie any time a recruiter asks for my current/past salary. How much I lie depends on what I think I should be getting for the role, and how likely it is that they can and will confirm the numbers I gave.

At my most recent past job, I was working for some guys at a small startup for next to nothing in salary (~$40k). I had a 10% stake in equity, but it was worth nothing, since the company was in debt. When I left I told the CEO and CTO "Can you say I made $160k salary?" Response - "Sure!" Next job was a $120k salary raise, + bonus, and I was able to work in RSUs.

At my current company, if I plan to leave, I'll fib by adding in my bonus % into base salary. I can't get away with much since I'm at a large corporation now. If they check and find a discrepancy I can blame it on a simple error.

With fibs, you can get a decent bump. But if you have complicit conspirators, then the sky's the limit.

Something I would not suggest is giving the number of a friend who will pose as HR/a past employer. This is pretty risky if you aren't attentive to detail.

Re: New York City bans employers from asking potential workers about past salary

#168

Post by devmunchies »

tarr11 wrote: post #45
jimparkins wrote: post #20

Have a google for: "can i lie to a employer about past salary" - it really really messes with people - people feel super uncertain about how to approach this situation. Throwing any confidence they have during the negotiation out the window. Even now I hesitate to write this as a million people will come out and say never lie - what if they found out. More than banning. There needs to be acceptance that if someone as…

That's not how (good) sales works.

haha. yeah ok. My company has sales guys closing 6 to 8 figure deals every quarter and they "stretch the truth" all the time. Its part of sales. Thats why I only did sales for 2 years... the pay is the best but its an emotional roller coaster.

Re: New York City bans employers from asking potential workers about past salary

#169

Post by lr4444lr »

mbillie1 wrote: post #37
xyzzy4 wrote: post #34

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Let's say they make a law saying you can't ask your coworkers what their salary is - wouldn't you agree that is against freedom of speech?

No, I would not. Freedom of speech pertains to legislation from congress preventing political speech. Most companies already prohibit employees from discussing salaries, under penalty of termination. Any business can ask you to leave, as a patron, for using profane speech in their establishment, or any number of other reasons. Please stop participating in this absurd and obnoxious fallacy wherein you decry anything y…

A mountain of first amendment case law at virtually every level of public life disproves your narrow definition of freedom of speech.

Re: New York City bans employers from asking potential workers about past salary

#170

Post by retube »

This will be tricky for banks and hedge funds etc. These firms typically, in London at any rate:

- never quote a salary (or even a range) for a job opening

- following many interviews any offer is always based on prior "comp", of which you will have to provide 3 years of info (base, bonus, deferred awards, retention awards, benefits etc) plus, of course, documentary evidence to support. HR departments start squealing if uptick is a greater than 20% increase, although some people do manage higher (anything over 30% is almost unheard of, except for a handful of big producers)

- they go through your background with a fine toothcomb and check EVERYTHING you supplied on your CV and in the screening questionaires you have to complete. They employ specialist third party agencies to do the research on you.

If you do not comply with this you simply won't get hired. It is universal and practiced everywhere in finance, I've never heard of anyone not being subjected to this.

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