Accidentally told my coworker what I make, BIG ISSUES NOW

[newrn93]

Hi all! So I am relatively a new graduate (3 months prior experience) before landing a job at a SNF. I have only been there for a week and although I was told during the interview that I would be working nights, my manager wanted me on the 3-11 shift to learn admissions for a month. I've been working with this RN for about 2 days now and shes really nice. We talk about out personal lives and etc. (For example she had a daughter by someone who is the same ethnic background as me..etc). So I'm explain my experience from my last job at a large teaching hospital and simply mention that I am taking a pay cut but its worth it because I want the experience. She then asks "Oh what are they starting you at." I stupidly tell her my wage (37) and didn't think anything of it. I explain that I usually leave the part on the application where it says to put your desired wage blank but this time around I put a high wage (I was getting paid 5 dollars more at my last job than this one.) She then says oh wow your very lucky and that they didnt start her at that wage and she put 38 on her application but management told her that they couldn't afford to pay her that. Anyways she says I'm lucky and we leave it at that.

My next day, I notice that she is acting a bit different but didn't think anything of it...it is a stressful job however. I do notice however that we dont seem to see eachother at all and that she didn't teach the the computer system (the most important part) but is teaching the other new hire the computer system. When I sit down to observe so I can learn the phone rings. She quickly looks at me and says "Can you answer the phone in a dismissive tone." Again, didn't think anything of it.

When night shift comes on, one of the night nurses says its her last day. No body knows why it seems very VERY abrupt because nobody talked about it before. I see her and this other nurse(my preceptor I suppose) kind of talking privately. This nurse that resigned was a nice girl and I ask "Oh where are you going?" All she says is "Somewhere." which again I thought was a bit odd.

The next day my manager comes up to me and asks me to meet him in his office. By his tone I can tell something was wrong but have no idea. He asks me if I told anyone my wage and I said yes to my preceptor. He then informs me that 1 nurse (the night nurse) quit because of it and that 2 more are considering quitting. I explain that it was naive and I didn't know i confided in her. He tells me she is not your friend, she went and told everyone and that she is already treating you differently. He then says next shift you will be on nights, I need to get you away from them. EVERYTHING now makes sense to me.

Sorry for the long post but what should I do or is there anything that I can do to rectify this situation. Should I confront/talk to this nurse who went and talked about me to everyone? I do not know how much the other nurses are making and had NO IDEA I was even making more than them. IDK if its because I have my BSN or bc they knew I wouldn't have accepted a job or a wage any lower when I was making $5 more at my last job. I feel HORRIBLY about this especially because our SNF is already so short-staffed.

[vintagemother, BSN, CNA, LVN, RN]

I'm sure that this has been said is the many replies to your OP. But, in case it hasn't: In private, non Union work places, DO NOT DISCLOSE YOUR SALARY.

Private, non Union facilities tend to pay more money/HR to whom they deem deserves. It depends on how desperate they are at the time of hiring and what they believe a person is worth.

its different in Union facilities. There is s scale in these that ( I believe) is just and fair and based on experience only.

[jacksonvillelpn]

And, you are in WHAT state? I might consider moving, if I won't freeze to death 9 out of 12 months. Here in Florida, it's good pay to start an LPN at $18 and a new RN at $22 in an SNF. Hospitals are a different story, of course, but I can understand why they quit. Especially if they are RNs working under $25.

[Channabanana]

Smh. She was/is super petty. Ive discussed my wages with coworkers before and whether they made more than me or not, it didnt make me run and tell other coworkers to not do their job or help that person out; or worse it didn't make me not do my job to the best of my ability. Shes mad at the wrong person. What she should have done was go in the office and get herself a higher wage because many places will fork out a few extra bucks to keep the people they have. Now shes quit and possibly dragged dumb and dumber along with her. Hopefully she will get a high wage where she is going next if not she will be looking really stupid in the face for quitting.

[newrn93]

. Im in California. Consider cost of living first though. My friend just got a one bedroom apartment for $1800/month. Anyways I couldnt imagine that the other RNS would be working for under 25 while I was getting paid 37. Im assuming they are making 29-32 dollars. Wish I knew considering the fact everyone knows my wage now. Hospitals are a for sure 35-45.

And, you are in WHAT state? I might consider moving, if I won't freeze to death 9 out of 12 months. Here in Florida, it's good pay to start an LPN at $18 and a new RN at $22 in an SNF. Hospitals are a different story, of course, but I can understand why they quit. Especially if they are RNs working under $25.

[AlleycatLady, BSN]

I agree 100% with your comment about negotiating but being unwilling to assist coworkers so they know where the bar lies is unfortunate and will likely bite you in the butt at some point, imo. As in my earlier post there can be a huge difference in wages. If someone is unaware of the range how are they supposed to negotiate appropriately? Bottom line is without being transparent I don't think we benefit anyone but perhaps our own narcissistic insecurities as well as empowering stingy employers to take advantage of us.

True, you make some good points, but there are other ways to let colleagues know where the bar is in terms of pay. The Glassdoor site has a lot of good salary info, and it allows you to be anonymous. Also asking HR directly if there is a salary range for the position, and asking what the career ladder movements consist of is a great way to find out what earning potentials should be for the role.

Whenever I get to the stage in a hiring process where it's time to negotiate, I make sure that I ask HR the following questions:

1. What's the salary range for this position?

2. What's the career ladder for this position?

3. How am I evaluated in my role? Is there a score range?

4. Is advancement based on performance scores or tenure?

5. Are there certain advanced skills or certifications that I can earn that will propel my earning and positioning status?

6. What's the maximum earning potential for this position?

Once I have this information, I ask for 48-72 hours to think about it. In that time, I'm pulling together on paper the things that make me the least risk to the company, all of my skill sets, and anything else that I bring to the table that sets me apart from my peers. These are the things I use to handle any objections to what I may ask for in salary. Then we go back and forth until we can both live with our happy medium. Once I'm working there, I keep a periodic check on what the salary range is with HR, because it can change.

Talking about salary at work can lead to a lack of motivation for an employee to perform his/her best, because the employee will be so focused on what their neighbor is doing and making to really focus on their own work and progress. When we focus more on creativity than competitiveness, the money flows. It's hard to say if the information you get from a coworker is actually the truth either.

Also I've found that salary is not always cut and dry. There are so many factors that go into setting wages based on area, company size, demand, budget for the fiscal year, etc. For instance, a coworker who just found out how much someone else makes may only be looking at the hourly rate without regard to insurance options, contract/FTE status, experience, advanced education/certifications, advancement potential, negotiations, etc. There are a lot of places that try to fix the wage disparities based on their areas and demand, but it takes time.

So I can definitely understand the need to know. This is a really good topic to tackle in this forum.

[jadelpn, LPN, EMT-B]

So OP you have realized you can be friendly without being besties.

Overshare nothing. That this one quits, the other one pouts, not your issue.

Sometimes it is a matter of thankfully getting new staff, now I don't feel guilt about leaving stuff. Other times it is that you worked in acute care, and there's some general "she thinks she's all that" bruhaha. But again, not your issue.

More than likely, you are paid what you are due to non-union overnight shift that would classically get a differential. It is a hard to fill slot.

In any event, make sure you discuss with the manager how you are to learn the computer and such if your receptor is unwilling to do so. Also be sure to review everything start of shift. If this is becoming some middle school clique poop, then those type of people can set you up to fail, no matter the possibility of patients best interests.

As for all the rest of it, don't confront, don't "discuss", don't get into bonding beyond patient focused.

I would also think about picking up some per diem at the hospital. Good to have options.

[CrunchRN, ADN, RN]

They shouldn't blame you for getting what you got. Their only problem should be with the employer.

[Jules A, MSN]

True, you make some good points, but there are other ways to let colleagues know where the bar is in terms of pay. The Glassdoor site has a lot of good salary info, and it allows you to be anonymous. Also asking HR directly if there is a salary range for the position, and asking what the career ladder movements consist of is a great way to find out what earning potentials should be for the role.

Whenever I get to the stage in a hiring process where it's time to negotiate, I make sure that I ask HR the following questions:

1. What's the salary range for this position?

2. What's the career ladder for this position?

3. How am I evaluated in my role? Is there a score range?

4. Is advancement based on performance scores or tenure?

5. Are there certain advanced skills or certifications that I can earn that will propel my earning and positioning status?

6. What's the maximum earning potential for this position?

Once I have this information, I ask for 48-72 hours to think about it. In that time, I'm pulling together on paper the things that make me the least risk to the company, all of my skill sets, and anything else that I bring to the table that sets me apart from my peers. These are the things I use to handle any objections to what I may ask for in salary. Then we go back and forth until we can both live with our happy medium. Once I'm working there, I keep a periodic check on what the salary range is with HR, because it can change.

Talking about salary at work can lead to a lack of motivation for an employee to perform his/her best, because the employee will be so focused on what their neighbor is doing and making to really focus on their own work and progress. When we focus more on creativity than competitiveness, the money flows. It's hard to say if the information you get from a coworker is actually the truth either.

Also I've found that salary is not always cut and dry. There are so many factors that go into setting wages based on area, company size, demand, budget for the fiscal year, etc. For instance, a coworker who just found out how much someone else makes may only be looking at the hourly rate without regard to insurance options, contract/FTE status, experience, advanced education/certifications, advancement potential, negotiations, etc. There are a lot of places that try to fix the wage disparities based on their areas and demand, but it takes time.

So I can definitely understand the need to know. This is a really good topic to tackle in this forum.

Excellent information and I admire that you are an organized business woman! Kudos. It is probably one of my biggest pet peeves about nursing in general is that we tend to whine and tolerate horrible conditions while in some perverse way feeling like a martyr.

The only things I'd ask you to consider in your strategy is that while HR is an excellent resource they are the employer so I wonder about their willingness to be transparent and the GlassDoor etc. resource while a decent overall guideline falls way short when it comes to intricate specialty, facility and geographic alterations in a metro area. In my experience "XYZ hospital pays $ABC" coming from a respected peer is way more reliable than a more generic website search.

Not saying we need to discuss this with every Tom, Dick and Sally just consider being open and networking with trusted peers because it can make a positive difference in your opportunities and income. Although it can feel uncomfortable initially, like negotiating wages it becomes more comfortable with practice. Trust me, been there, done that so just something to think about. Best to you!

[sarlou]

I'm afraid you stepped into "it"! I've been an RN for 31 yrs and make no where's near that amt.....

[Horseshoe, BSN, RN]

I have been involved in a lawsuit in which we (DH and I) were so completely in the right, it was ridiculous. And we DID WIN.

That said:

It was indescribably stressful. You don't just go off and sue someone and not expect them to push back, and this can just eat up time, money, and suck out your soul.

It was expensive. Lawyers are not cheap. Even if you get one to work on contingency, they still will take a huge chunk of your settlement, and that is if you can actually get the defendant to pay.

It took time we could have been working on new projects away from us. That was very costly in terms of lost productivity= lost money.

So it's just not so simple to say: "It's illegal to fire you for disclosing your salary. Sue! And you'll soon walk away with a judgment in your favor and lots of money!"

DH says he hopes he never ever, ever, EVER has to be involved in a lawsuit again. Being in the right does not necessarily mean it is even remotely worth doing. Many times, just walking away is the best thing to do.

[newrn93]

LOL but I'm sure you don't live in California. Please come and see the cost of living here!!

I'm afraid you stepped into "it"! I've been an RN for 31 yrs and make no where's near that amt.....

[Horseshoe, BSN, RN]

Discussing salary is a personal choice. We were all raised with different values with respect to discussing money, personal life, religion, and politics. Being of the mind that one's salary is private is NOT indicative of "narcissistic insecurities." No one is obligated to disclose their salary, whether or not doing so benefits their coworkers. At the same time, if a coworker wants to announce her salary to the rafters, it's no skin off my nose. If I perceive an unfairness, I sure wouldn't blame her for getting whatever she can get. More power to her.