Many U.S. companies have created environments that discourage open discussions of certain topics – one of which is salaries. While these environments are often justified as necessary for protecting privacy and preventing conflict, they can be unlawful.
So, can you discuss salaries with your colleagues in Chicago?
Yes, you have the right to do so
It’s unlawful for an employer in Illinois to prohibit an employee from disclosing their wages, salary, benefits or other compensation. Thus, you have the right to compare your compensation with that of your colleagues.
However, the state prohibits a human resources employee, a supervisor or any other employee with access to other employees’ salary information from disclosing it without prior written consent from the employee whose information is being sought.
Therefore, if you want to know about a coworker’s salary, you need to ask them directly. A few tips to help you are:
- Ask coworkers you trust. Those with whom you have a good rapport or a friendship outside work. Inform them that you would like to talk to them at a particular time.
- Choose a private setting. Hold the conversation in a private setting, outside the office, and not via company chat systems.
- Inform them of the reason for the discussion. For instance, you believe you are being underpaid for your experience, or you want to negotiate your salary and want to ensure you are paid fairly.
- Tell them your salary. Inform your colleague how much you make, and inform them that if they are comfortable, they can share their salary range with you. Focusing on a range can make them more comfortable than asking for an exact number.
- Thank them for their time
Ensure you maintain professionalism throughout the discussion.
If you discover your coworker in a similar role as yours makes more money, you may be experiencing wage theft. Get more information to determine the next steps to take.
