On Fri, 21 Nov 2008 10:15:38 -0800, Darren New wrote:

> Jim Henderson wrote:
>> Here in the US, salary information is between you and your employer
> 
> Really?  I'm not sure that's correct.  Certainly if you're looking to
> (for example) sell a small company, the buyer is going to want to know
> the salaries of the people he'll be taking on, yes?

Perhaps in M/A land there are exceptions - or they know how many people 
they are and the aggregate salaries/payroll budget, but in M/As (as is my 
understanding) there are very specific times at which particular types of 
information can be disclosed.

The laws may also vary depending on where the companies are incorporated 
- if both are incorporated in the same state, then it may be down to 
state laws rather than federal laws.

Of course, IANAL, so I could be completely wrong on this - but I'm pretty 
sure there's a confidentiality clause about salary information.  Most 
companies strongly discourage employees from even talking about their 
salaries with their peers.

But my point is that I don't believe company A could call up the HR 
department at company B and say "John Doe has told us his salary is 
$74,000 a year - can you confirm this?" - for one thing, that could open 
John up to some sort of retribution from his current employer for looking 
for a new job - most US states are "at will", which means your employer 
can pretty much let you go for any reason - and even for no reason.  
Utah's like that - the worker protections in the US (if you're not in a 
union) are practically nonexistent unless you can prove racial/age/some 
other form of legally recognised discrimination.

Jim

Jim

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Jim Henderson wrote:
> companies strongly discourage employees from even talking about their 
> salaries with their peers.

Yeah, but that's not for the good of the employees. :-)

> But my point is that I don't believe company A could call up the HR 
> department at company B and say "John Doe has told us his salary is 
> $74,000 a year - can you confirm this?"

Used to be OK. I answered a number of calls like this in my first job. I 
wouldn't be surprised if laws passed since then, not the least of which 
were due to ...

> - for one thing, that could open John up to some sort of retribution from his
current employer for looking 
> for a new job 

Sure, and retribution against the employer for giving a bad 
recommendation or lying about the salary, which is more what I think 
caused the changes.

-- 
Darren New / San Diego, CA, USA (PST)

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On Fri, 21 Nov 2008 10:43:36 -0800, Darren New wrote:

> Jim Henderson wrote:
>> companies strongly discourage employees from even talking about their
>> salaries with their peers.
> 
> Yeah, but that's not for the good of the employees. :-)

True enough.

>> But my point is that I don't believe company A could call up the HR
>> department at company B and say "John Doe has told us his salary is
>> $74,000 a year - can you confirm this?"
> 
> Used to be OK. I answered a number of calls like this in my first job. I
> wouldn't be surprised if laws passed since then, not the least of which
> were due to ...

Interesting, maybe a CA thing?  I know things tend to be a bit more 
progressive there, especially compared to deep red McCain-land here in 
Utah.

>> - for one thing, that could open John up to some sort of retribution
>> from his current employer for looking for a new job
> 
> Sure, and retribution against the employer for giving a bad
> recommendation or lying about the salary, which is more what I think
> caused the changes.

I know where I'm work they have a policy specifically prohibiting 
professional job references.  I've provided a few personal references for 
long-time friends (and past coworkers), but it's a difficult line to walk 
sometimes because my personal and professional lives overlap so much.

Jim

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Darren New wrote:
> Jim Henderson wrote:
>> Here in the US, salary information is between you and your employer
> 
> Really?  I'm not sure that's correct.  Certainly if you're looking to
> (for example) sell a small company, the buyer is going to want to know
> the salaries of the people he'll be taking on, yes?
> 

In such case it could be possible to reveal totals (eg. 10 employees
making 450k$ expenses total) - it's still not necessary to reveal salary
of individual worker.

-Aero

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Jim Henderson wrote:
> Interesting, maybe a CA thing? 

This was in the 70s on the east coast.

> I know where I'm work they have a policy specifically prohibiting 
> professional job references.  

I'm sure. I'm just not certain it's a law, rather than a CYA policy.

-- 
Darren New / San Diego, CA, USA (PST)

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On Fri, 21 Nov 2008 13:48:23 -0800, Darren New wrote:

> Jim Henderson wrote:
>> Interesting, maybe a CA thing?
> 
> This was in the 70s on the east coast.

Could be a sign of the times, too.

>> I know where I'm work they have a policy specifically prohibiting
>> professional job references.
> 
> I'm sure. I'm just not certain it's a law, rather than a CYA policy.

Could be either, would have to check and see....maybe my HR department 
could tell me. ;-)

Jim

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On Fri, 21 Nov 2008 15:24:40 +0000, Orchid XP v8 <voi### [at] devnull> wrote:

>Stephen wrote:
>

>
>O RLY?

Well have you applied for it?
-- 

Regards
     Stephen

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Stephen wrote:
> On Fri, 21 Nov 2008 15:24:40 +0000, Orchid XP v8 <voi### [at] devnull> wrote:
> 
>> Stephen wrote:
>>

>> O RLY?
> 
> Well have you applied for it?

Still improving my CV, remember?

Anyway, *if* I actually got the job, what makes you think I couldn't 


-- 
http://blog.orphi.me.uk/
http://www.zazzle.com/MathematicalOrchid*

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On Sat, 22 Nov 2008 08:58:10 +0000, Orchid XP v8 <voi### [at] devnull> wrote:

>
>Still improving my CV, remember?

Don't take too long.

>Anyway, *if* I actually got the job, what makes you think I couldn't 


Where did I say afford? :P

Anyway have a nice few days off. 

-- 

Regards
     Stephen

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"Orchid XP v8" <voi### [at] devnull> wrote in message 
news:4926d654$1@news.povray.org...
>>> Ooo... am I also sexually attractive without realising it as well?? :-D
>>
>> Dunno ... ask someone who prefers your gender ...
>
> Benny complained the other day that he was forced to hang out with 
> somebody *so boring* that he almost wanted to slit his wrists.

    Nobody is 'forced' to do anything... ;)


>
> And all the while I'm thinking "hey, uh, Benny... you know who you're 
> hanging out with right now??"

    ... And Benny said: "No, who?"

       ~Steve~



>
> -- 
> http://blog.orphi.me.uk/
> http://www.zazzle.com/MathematicalOrchid*

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