Can you lose your job if your colleagues spy your salary?

[anotherlife]

Can you lose your job if your colleagues spy your salary? Especially if your salary is high? We spied the salary of one of the principal engineers on his computer the other day, and the idiot who spied it thinks of wanting a raise now. Will the principal engineer lose his job as a result, or get more likely to get laid off next time? I really like that principal engineer, one of the few guys who I don't hate at my job.

 

[JoeB131]

Can you lose your job if your colleagues spy your salary? Especially if your salary is high? We spied the salary of one of the principal engineers on his computer the other day, and the idiot who spied it thinks of wanting a raise now. Will the principal engineer lose his job as a result, or get more likely to get laid off next time? I really like that principal engineer, one of the few guys who I don't hate at my job.

Good question.

As a rule, most states are "At-Will Employment" states, so they can pretty much fire you for any reason.

The engineer in question is probably in violation of company confidentiality rules, as he left confidential information where anyone can access it, which could be grounds for termination.

 

[Moonglow]

Working for companies suck..

 

[ChrisL]

"Spy your salary"??? What does that mean?

 

[JoeB131]

"Spy your salary"??? What does that mean?

He explained it pretty well. His coworkers looked at another workers' pay stub he had on his computer.

 

[anotherlife]

"Spy your salary"??? What does that mean?

We looked over his shoulder as he was filling in his yearly company benefits questionnaire on his computer. Can my idiot friend harm him with asking for a raise?

 

[ChrisL]

"Spy your salary"??? What does that mean?

We looked over his shoulder as he was filling in his yearly company benefits questionnaire on his computer. Can my idiot friend harm him with asking for a raise?

I don't know. It depends on the company and their policies, I suppose.

 

[JoeB131]

We looked over his shoulder as he was filling in his yearly company benefits questionnaire on his computer. Can my idiot friend harm him with asking for a raise?

That actually is a bit different, if it was a form they required him to fill out and you guys looked over his shoulder when he did it.

You'd be the ones who would get into trouble at that point.

 

[DGS49]

Under Federal law, you cannot be punished for disclosing your salary. Employers take great pains to conceal this right, and "caution you" to keep such things secret.

Although "at will" employees can be fired for "any reason" they can't be fired for a wrong reason, and this is one of them. No smart employer would try it, but an attorney can quickly make things right if an employer tries.

 

[JoeB131]

Under Federal law, you cannot be punished for disclosing your salary. Employers take great pains to conceal this right, and "caution you" to keep such things secret.

Although "at will" employees can be fired for "any reason" they can't be fired for a wrong reason, and this is one of them. No smart employer would try it, but an attorney can quickly make things right if an employer tries.

All sounds nice, but the one thing I've found is that if they want to get rid of you, they'll find a way to get rid of you.

 

[BlackSand]

All sounds nice, but the one thing I've found is that if they want to get rid of you, they'll find a way to get rid of you.

That's correct Joe ... And is in no way an understatement.

Politicians have passed an assortment of laws in order to give the employee a false sense of "protection" that the government cannot actually provide.
The same as there are a multitude of obstacles preventing an employer from firing someone ... There are thousands of reasons why they can.

Long story short ... If an employer no longer desires to keep an employee ... They can find a legitimate reason to fire them.

.

 

[DGS49]

I was fired once for telling the truth when Management wanted to perpetuate a transparent lie. I was not gratified when the "situation" blew up, proving me right (after I was gone).