Reader: In 2015, I moved to the U.S. as a foreign national under an H-1B work visa to be with my American partner, who was returning to the U.S. to take a new job here.
My employer has an unsavory reputation for offering compensation based on country of origin and gender. But I didn't mind accepting a lower-than-expected compensation package, as I work for intellectual stimulation and don't rely on my salary to pay bills. Even last year, after I became a U.S. citizen, I didn't consider it necessary to ask for a salary adjustment. My strong work ethic and consistent performance are evident as I have received two promotions, and I'm 10 years younger than the average man at my level.
I was recently offered a new position with greater visibility. As I was preparing for year-end performance reviews, I noticed that one of my new direct reports, "Oscar," is earning 25 percent more than I am -- even though he has a job grade below mine.
During my own year-end performance review, should I ask my boss to match my compensation to Oscar's? If my request is declined, I'm afraid of becoming resentful toward Oscar, as he barely met my expectations before I was even aware of our compensation disparity.
Regardless of the outcome, I like my boss, so I probably won't quit or apply for an external position until he leaves or retires.
Karla: Why on earth would you think your employer should raise your pay to match Oscar's? Don't you think you deserve more?
Your situation is a textbook example of how discriminatory pay gaps operate. Workers hamstrung by low pay at the start of their careers tend to fall behind exponentially in opportunities, earning power and retirement savings. "Catching up from that disadvantage is like climbing Mt. Fuji," said Gloria L. Blackwell, CEO of the American Association of University Women (AAUW).
And while individual workers have to decide for themselves what they can tolerate, the effects of pay inequity often go beyond one person's paycheck. As Blackwell puts it: "As long as [the employer is] not challenged, not only are they going to continue underpaying [you], they are going to continue doing it to other women."
You note yourself that your employer has a reputation for underpaying women and foreign-born workers, counting on them to be too intimidated, uninformed or desperate for employment to object. By shrugging and accepting that treatment, you are not only selling yourself short, you are also undermining others who lack the agency to protest or walk away from an unfair deal, even with the law on their side.
The good news, according to Blackwell, is that "it really is never too late to advocate for yourself and negotiate when you discover a pay disparity." And nationwide efforts to implement pay range transparency mandates and salary history bans are helping to level the playing field by eliminating secrecy and other systemic barriers.
Blackwell recommends the following steps to prepare for this long-overdue discussion:
Here is why you want to broaden your pay research: The discrepancy with Oscar's pay seems obvious, but he is a single data point. Management may rationalize that he has specialized technical expertise or a certification that justifies paying him more than you. Or they may start paying you slightly more than Oscar, but still less than you deserve overall. A broad apples-to-apples comparison with peers who out-earn you is harder to explain away or patch over. What you have learned about Oscar may end up being just the tip of a very large, lopsided iceberg.
As always, it's up to you how you respond to your findings: Stay and fight for parity, or go find a company that doesn't need to be persuaded to respect you. Personally, I don't see how any amount of intellectual stimulation could soothe the resentment of knowing you have been undervalued and exploited, and how many people at your employer have been actively or passively complicit in keeping you that way. Including your likable boss.
Pro tip: U.S. employers hiring workers on H-1B visas must pay them whatever is greater: The actual wage they pay other workers with similar experience and qualifications, or the prevailing wage for the occupation in the area of intended employment, according to the Department of Labor Wage and Hour Division.
This article was downloaded by calibre from https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2024/03/14/pay-gap-women-foreign-workers/
Previous | Articles | Sections | Next |