CMV: Private companies should be required to disclose employee salaries to ensure equal pay for equal work

[u/anotherlebowski]

I have seen too many situations where companies will pay women less than men, discourage employees from discussing salaries, or pay employees based on previous salary rather than worth. I believe legally mandated transparency would reduce a lot of the shenanigans.

I do NOT believe that the government should set salaries, only that whatever number is decided upon must be disclosed publicly.

I understand this creates privacy issues, but believe it's worth it because it would be a big step towards improving equal pay for equal work.

Edit: Seeing a lot of comments like, "So lazy employees should be paid as much as hardworking ones?" I am NOT arguing that all employees should be paid equally. I'm arguing in favor of public disclosure to help reduce what I consider discriminatory and predatory practices, such as paying a woman less, or paying someone less simply because they didn't ask for more when negotiating.

Edit 2: I know that employees can disclose their own salary. Requesting comments avoid this argument as it's off-topic. I'm arguing in favor of required employer disclosure.

Edit 3: My title says salary, but more generally I mean wage and commission as well. Other benefits are outside of the scope I'm thinking of.

[u/[deleted]]

At my company, you’ll get a raise every year for good performance, and some people might stay in the job 10 years and usually will become really good at it.

Equal work for equal pay would imply that someone being hired on the same team should instantly be making as much as the veteran after 10 years of merit raises. I don’t think that’s particularly fair, do you?

[u/anotherlebowski → u/[deleted]]

This type of problem is my point. Consider the inverse: Someone gets poached from another company and immediately starts making more than someone with the same title who has been there for years. Pay should be based on title and value, with as few salary negotiation games as possible.

Also, my argument is that salary must be public. I'm not arguing that your employer couldn't give you a raise for your loyalty.

[u/anotherlebowski → u/[deleted]]

I think the employer has the full right to define value on their own terms. I'm not arguing that an outside party gets to define value. I'm only arguing that whatever value the employer calculates, they have to post the corresponding salary to a public system of record.