Can You Get in Trouble for Talking About Pay with Your Co-Worker?

Over the years, no matter what job I have, I've always felt like it's taboo to talk about how much you get paid. Whether it's your family, friends, or co-workers, the feeling is that you aren't supposed to tell anyone. It's supposed to be kept as a deep dark secret that only you know.

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But why? Is there really an unwritten rule that says that it's rude to discuss your salary with someone? Can actually get into trouble for talking about salary? Or, have we all been manipulated by companies and their bosses and managers to think that our pay is a forbidden topic of conversation?

Can you get into trouble and even fired from your job if you talk about your pay?

Does your employer have the right to punish or fire you for discussing how much the company pays you?

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The answer? NO.

According to the National Labor Relations Board, Indiana, Kentucky, and Illinois workers are protected. So is every worker in the country.

...When you and another employee have a conversation or communication about your pay, it is unlawful for your employer to punish or retaliate against you in any way for having that conversation.

Sharing your salary can help you in the future and others

Sharktank's most ruthless and demanding businessman even says we should be sharing our salary info.

In my personal opinion, I think we should be very open about how much we get paid. Many times, when asked what I wanted to make, I had no idea. Was I going to ask for too much and get passed over, or God-forbid, too little and be stuck getting paid way lower than I should be?

Most of there time, I ended up short-selling myself and getting paid a lot less than everyone else doing my same job. If we were all more comfortable discussing the amount of our pay, I would have had some idea what others were making and I would have reasonably asked for more money from the get-go.

It's confusing, so this might help.

Even though workers can legally discuss their pay with co-workers, eastcoastriskmanagement.com says this,

Although the NLRA bans employers from preventing discussion of wages and working conditions, the provision is vague, and the practice is common. Last year, in a nationwide survey by the Institute for Women’s Policy Research, half of the adults reported that discussions about pay were either prohibited or discouraged at their workplace.

If you are an employer, get me details on what you can and can not do, legally, in regards to your employees discussing how much you pay them, benefits, bonuses, incentives, working conditions, etc.,

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