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Maternity cover pay vs experienced employee pay

Victoria

Looking for advice for a friend - genuinely !!

My friend has 18 years experience in their job and they will be finishing up on maternity leave in a couple of months. An office junior (straight out of college, no work experience and the daughter of the business owner friend) has been brought on to cover the same job whilst she is on maternity leave.

My friend found out today that the office junior will be receiving the same salary as them - the office junior had to clarify their salary on the phone and also opened the mail which contained salaries for the month (this is part of her job).

My friend is unsure whether to approach their boss about this and challenge the reasoning behind the pay situation. She is hurt and betrayed as she has worked hard to get to the salary she is now earning. I haven't come across this before and I was wondering in your experience, will challenging this have any impact on the situation?

Thanks

Parents

  • No

    They have offered this salary either because (a) they mistakenly believe it’s the rate for the job as your friend gets it and therefore need to pay it. Or (b) because they are the daughter of the owners friend and the owner wants to.

    None of this affects the salary your friend earns ( and I assume was happy with). So I agree it’s unfair but she has far bigger priorities than a teenagers salary.

    I do not believe there is a legal claim here and I do not believe complaining to the boss would have much effect  

    what result does your friend now want? The juniors salary reduced? 


    On a general point of an office junior straight out of college can do the job then it’s questionable if the 18 years experience should actually be rewarded. Sone jobs just don’t need that level of experience it should therefore reward it.

  • in reply to Keith
    Keith said:
    On a general point of an office junior straight out of college can do the job then it’s questionable if the 18 years experience should actually be rewarded. Sone jobs just don’t need that level of experience it should therefore reward it.

    I agree with Keith here. Maybe that's just the pay for the role? Are there annual increments or do the employee need to negotiate a raise?

    Now I've just seen your latest post, which I guess changes things. What does everyone think now?

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  • in reply to Keith
    Keith said:
    On a general point of an office junior straight out of college can do the job then it’s questionable if the 18 years experience should actually be rewarded. Sone jobs just don’t need that level of experience it should therefore reward it.

    I agree with Keith here. Maybe that's just the pay for the role? Are there annual increments or do the employee need to negotiate a raise?

    Now I've just seen your latest post, which I guess changes things. What does everyone think now?

Children
  • in reply to Steve Bridger
    I think I've seen business owners pay family members inflated salaries for deflated roles rather a lot. Whilst I think it is a strategic mis-step, it's not illegal.

    Rationally, the only question Victoria's friend should ask herself is "Is the salary I'm being paid for this role a fair one for work I'm being asked to do?" Comparing ourselves to what others are paid is a quick route to misery, akin to comparing your life to the lives you see others displaying on their social media.

    I make an exception to that when there is an issue of justice at stake, such as illegal discrimination, because by standing up for your right to fair pay, you are standing up for a thousand or more others affected by the same issues but without the will, courage or wherewithal to fight it. But when the issue is one person looking at another person and complaining that "she's paid X and I'm paid Y and it's not fair..." then all you've got is a grievance and not a very good one, because the employer is entitled to pay whatever he/she pleases that will attract the right talent within the law so if the employer looks at the complaint and shrugs, whatchagonnado?