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I am an engineer, have been with company 7 years, since graduating college. I have a BS in my engineering field from an extremely good school.
Where your diploma is from is not a factor.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Random Woman
Turns out, according to the timecard program, his billing rate is 10% more than mine, AND his job title is one notch higher than mine (Project Engineer I vs Project Engineer II).
We both do the same type of work, so that is not the issue. I cannot imagine that having a masters degree makes him worth more, considering I have a superior license.
Your license only matters if it is a job requirement (which it seems is not), or the company has a policy in which they will pay extra to someone that has this license. Do they pay extra? You seem like you do not know.
Also, a master's degree does not mean automatically someone gets paid more, but perhaps the company has a policy stating the person does, or it is a job requirement since this guy is in a different job title than you.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Random Woman
I do not think seniority makes me more valuable, but I do think that my license does. My research of salaries online seems to support that correlation I assumed. I also hate to think that it is because I am a woman and he is a man (I am the only woman in our engineering department).
Your license is valuable only if the company deems it so, does not matter what your online research shows.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Random Woman
Now, I also have another coworker who is 4 years older than me, does not have a masters, and has not passed the superior license exam (he has failed it several times). I currently have the SAME job title and billing rate as him. I passed the license exam the first time I took it! I am clearly competent.
Again, does the company care you have a license? Does the company have a policy saying they pay more if you have one? It is obviously not a job requirement.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Random Woman
How should I handle this? Our annual review period is coming up in the next few months (they normally discuss raises at that time, if we get any), should I discuss it then, or bring it up now? What should I say? I am frankly at a loss. This discovery has been very demoralizing.
Handle what? You have not even shown that you know what your own company policy is, just a bunch of assumptions. Once you find out the company policy as it relates to the company as a whole, and to your position, come back and fill us in and maybe you can get an answer.
^^^ Lots of good points. My 2 cents is that his graduate degree put him in a higher position which is naturally billed at a higher rate. Higher pay based on an advanced degree is certainly not uncommon. The question should be "How does your salary compare to your peers who have the same education and classification?" You simply cannot compare your pay to his.
What someone like the EEOC will look for is: placement and compensation.
Placement would be if she has the exact same duties as someone in a higher paying position, yet she is classified at a lower paying position. This does not seem the case since she stated there is a male co-worker who gets the same pay as her in her position.
Compensation would see if the company's policies are being applied equally in the job position. Basically if the company pays more for someone with a license in her exact job position.
You've been there 7 years since graduating from college? Have you thought about looking for another job? You have the experience to get a much higher salary from a different company. Have you gotten too comfortable in your current position?
I'd push for a promotion to the next level, seven years and you still have a 1 by your title? Let your boss know you want to be moved up and what can you do from now until then besides your current work performance to ensure that happens.
And if things don't turn around by then start looking, it seems nowadays the best way to move up in pay is to move to new opportunities.
As everyone else said, you have to keep his salary out of the conversation. Where I work, salaries are public information available on several websites for everyone to see. Guess what. Life is not fair.
Some companies are quite strict about payroll...if you were smart (and I'm on the fence about that one) you'd keep your mouth shut about his pay. What he earns is NON of your business...and it's obvious his 'little masters degree' gives him an edge over you......so unless you plan on finding new work, zip your lips.
Having access to that information does NOT MEAN an open invitation to snoop.
Tend to your own work performance and keep your "legal" access to your own time cards, hours, pay rates , etc.
I think you should also tell your superiors that you "legally" found your coworkers financial information and you want your pay to match his. Even though his title is higher (as stated by you) and he has a college degree that you do not have (as stated by you). Let us know how upper management likes your "legal discovery".
Are you referring to you having your PE and he does not?
I work with a PE. He seems to like to mention he is a PE in every coversation you have, as it seems like you also hold it as the greatest thing in the world. It is in NO way comparable to the difference between a doctor and a nurse, so get off your high horse. You can be an LPN or RN after 1 or 2 years. An MD after residency is often 10-12.
Yes I understand a PE is highly valued but your comparison is far off lol.
Beyond that, maybe when they hired him they were desperate? Maybe he just has better negotiating skills?
Have you actually been actively asking for raises the last 7 years? Have you been given them? I feel like if someones company is doing fine amd a person is succeeding in their role, asking for a yearly raise if not offered one is pretty fair.
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