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Talking about Salary ?

 
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I have a coworker who was from India. One day during the break he directly asked my salary. I was surprised. I just recently joined the firm and both of us are contractors. This is not the first time I was asked about salary or pay rate by an Indian coworker. Last time few years ago in another company same thing happened. Is it their culture that once they feel they are familiar with you, they think they can ask this question ? Or do they exchange all these information among their fellow coworkers ? Anybody could help me understand their culture in this part ?
 
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I don't know why everyone hides their salary. In some cases it's important to do so, in others it is not. Also, it helps from people getting cheated.

Indians may have an ulterior motive though. Often they are working through a company that is taking half their salary and they cannot do anything about it because they also support their visa. Between that and non-compete agreements, some Indians make a pittance. Further, some Indian companies make deal with out-of-country companies, and each company takes half, giving them one-quarter of the actual salary. It's awful that they do that. The salary information gives them some confidence and leverage when they try to rectify the situation.
 
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Brian Tkatch wrote:Further, some Indian companies make deal with out-of-country companies, and each company takes half, giving them one-quarter of the actual salary

It also happens within India. That is dark side of IT sector in India. so many engineers comes out of the colleges every year, results less demand and more supplies.
 
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Brian Tkatch wrote:

Indians may have an ulterior motive though. Often they are working through a company that is taking half their salary and they cannot do anything about it because they also support their visa. Between that and non-compete agreements, some Indians make a pittance. Further, some Indian companies make deal with out-of-country companies, and each company takes half, giving them one-quarter of the actual salary. It's awful that they do that. The salary information gives them some confidence and leverage when they try to rectify the situation.


This problem is with H1-B visa holders not with Indians per se. H1-B visa is pretty much indentured servitude. The duration is of course dependent on the speed of the green card queue
 
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Never a good idea, only going to cause resentment. Your rate is none of anyones business, and an impolite question to ask.
Even worst, is to discus this with permanent staff. The premies compare directly, and not consider their benefits (pensions, paid holidays, sick leave, job security) and not all the contractor costs (travel, accommodation, training, tax).
The only thing to watch out for is for agencies who are happy to pocket a large amount of your rate. Its not encouraged, but I often try to discover if this is happening before I accept a contract. Failing that, before agreeing an extension.
 
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Brian Tkatch wrote:I don't know why everyone hides their salary. In some cases it's important to do so, in others it is not. Also, it helps from people getting cheated.



I agree. It doesn't create resentment for me, if someone is earning more, good for them. I had a contractor in my last place who I taught (he should never have been employed as he didn't have the skills), he was earning twice I was, it never bothered me that someone who didn't have the skills and was being taught by me was earning more.

Life's too short to sit there being resentful of others.
 
Ahmed Bin S
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BTW, two colleagues asked me how much I was earning in my last job, one was Indian and the other Pakistani
 
Brian Tkatch
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Ahmed Bin S wrote:he was earning twice I was, it never bothered me that someone who didn't have the skills and was being taught by me was earning more.


On my first full-time job, i make ~28k/yr. When they hired new people, they gave them 35k. When i found that out (i don't remember what brought the discussion about) i quit. I told my boss that we had a lack of trust. I couldn't trust them (a small company, about 30-50 people) to take care of me. I let them hire someone else before i left though. My manager was really nice and i wanted to repay the favor.

So, i see why bosses might not want it discussed. But that is silliness. I would easily discuss my salary had it not been against the norm. Outside the office, i tell nearly anyone who asks how much i make.
 
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Ahmed Bin S wrote:It doesn't create resentment for me...


While this may be the case, it is hardly typical and relying on everyone else feeling the same way that you do would lead to disappointment.

With regards to disclosure, maybe I'm "Old School" -- oh wait, I am definitely, without a doubt, unambiguously "Old School" -- but my salary, and other personal details, are no one else's business. I will not be posting it on Facebook. I will not be tweeting it.

Get off my lawn!
 
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Ian Shieh wrote:Is it their culture that once they feel they are familiar with you, they think they can ask this question ? Or do they exchange all these information among their fellow coworkers ? Anybody could help me understand their culture in this part ?


Hi Ian, I apologize on behalf of that person who is setting a bad image of India in front of you.
No it is not in our culture, we have been taught from childhood to never ask someone about salary.
But there are few people who ask this and I had come across few myself and I am also not comfortable when people ask me.
Usually I say "You should not ask someone about salary" politely.
 
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