Paycheck transparency

[Trausti]

I've found transparency to be really useful in determining if I will apply for certain jobs. Why should I take a marginal managerial job if i have to work 10 more hours a week for the same pay?

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Corruption and waste of taxpayer's money.

And it actually indicates such? Salaries will not show this. The corrupt aren't going to report it on the paycheck.

Corruption as is a manger using public funds to give family and friends generous salaries, e.g., Detroit. When a non-elected public official is making in six figures or more, that's waste. These officials tend to set their own salaries, so public disclosure is the best check on waste we got.

 

[Rhea]

I've found transparency to be really useful in determining if I will apply for certain jobs. Why should I take a marginal managerial job if i have to work 10 more hours a week for the same pay?

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And it actually indicates such? Salaries will not show this. The corrupt aren't going to report it on the paycheck.

Corruption as is a manger using public funds to give family and friends generous salaries, e.g., Detroit. When a non-elected public official is making in six figures or more, that's waste. These officials tend to set their own salaries, so public disclosure is the best check on waste we got.

and also the corruption and discrimination. Same is true for the private sector.

And _I_ make 6 figures (if you include the pennies... )

 

[laughing dog]

When a non-elected public official is making in six figures or more, that's waste.

If the state wishes to compete with the private sector, it needs to be roughly equivalent in compensation. Are you under the illusion that there are no public sector positions that have comparable private sector positions where people earn over $99,999.99?

 

[ksen]

Corruption as is a manger using public funds to give family and friends generous salaries, e.g., Detroit.

Nepotism isn't a problem in the private sector?

When a non-elected public official is making in six figures or more, that's waste.

Prove it.

These officials tend to set their own salaries, so public disclosure is the best check on waste we got.

So do private super-managers whose compensation is normally disclosed in the annual report. And yet that doesn't stop them from wasting company money paying themselves more and more.

Oh, I forgot that in the private sector high compensation means you are super productive for the company but in the public sector high compensation means you're the biggest pig at the trough.

 

[laughing dog]

According to Trausti, the annual salary of the POTUS of $400,000 plus a non-taxable expense account of $50,000 (source:http://www.ehow.com/info_7800283_presidents-yearly-salary.html) is a waste.

 

[Bronzeage]

I don't see anything wrong with having a regulation in place that says if you have X number of employees, say 50, you have to publish your job titles and pay scales for each job title. That way no names are attached but people know up front that if you get promoted to a certain position that this is how much the company will pay you. It leaves no more room for pay gaps for whatever reason.

It helps to remember, a manager's pay depends upon what the pay scale of the people below him.

Maybe 40 years ago. It's pretty apparent business has been moving away from this model for quite some time.

If a manager has the power to set pay rates for employees under him, the amount of the total payroll will be a factor in his paycheck. If he lets payroll become too big a percentage of overall expenses, it cuts into his pay. This can be a real problem with an aging work crew. Older workers tend to be the highest paid, based on experience, skill, and accumulated "been there a while" raises. This pushes the paycheck average up.

This is easiest to see in piece work shop, such as a machine shop or automotive repair shop. The rate the customer pays for any job depends upon several things. High volume-low skill work, such as oil changes or tire repair are set at a relatively low rate. This work is done by lower paid employees, so the profit margin is maintained. High skilled-low volume work, such as engine and transmission repair are charged at the highest rate, and only the highest paid employees perform this work. The problem comes when there are few low paid workers. The difference in the pay rate of the highest and the lowest paid employees, can exceed the average profit margin in a charged labor hour. This means that when the high paid guy does an oil change, the shop loses money. If the average pay rate gets above a certain level, it's possible to lose money on most jobs. This is called "upside down" in the business. It means the more business you have, the more money you lose.

 

[Nice Squirrel]

And if you are wondering about overpaid administrators getting their comeuppance once their salaries are public, they don't. We have them here and while everyone complains nothing is done.

 

[Nice Squirrel]

Corruption as is a manger using public funds to give family and friends generous salaries, e.g., Detroit. When a non-elected public official is making in six figures or more, that's waste. These officials tend to set their own salaries, so public disclosure is the best check on waste we got.

Really? Because we have jobs here running massive public projects that do command salaries of over $100,000/yr. It's really not that much money. Hell most mid level managers make $60-70k. And please support the notion that public officials set their own salaries.


Our college dean made $209,000 last year.

 

[T.G.G. Moogly]

This is called "upside down" in the business. It means the more business you have, the more money you lose.

That sounds more like a business problem and not a wage scale problem specifically.

 

[Rhea]

. And please support the notion that public officials set their own salaries.
.

Technically, many of us do. However we have to do it in public; literally a public hearing with mandatory public input, so there's that.
Every salary, from janitor to Chief Financial Officer is discussed publicly as it is set and available to the public on request (or by querying our web site).

 

[Nice Squirrel]

. And please support the notion that public officials set their own salaries.
.

Technically, many of us do. However we have to do it in public; literally a public hearing with mandatory public input, so there's that.
Every salary, from janitor to Chief Financial Officer is discussed publicly as it is set and available to the public on request (or by querying our web site).

I want a raise. Damn union preventing me from writing up my own contract.

 

[Rhea]

I want a raise. Damn union preventing me from writing up my own contract.

You can have my job, if you want. It pays about $4,600.00. (<== see the "six figures"?)

 

[Bronzeage]

. And please support the notion that public officials set their own salaries.
.

Technically, many of us do. However we have to do it in public; literally a public hearing with mandatory public input, so there's that.
Every salary, from janitor to Chief Financial Officer is discussed publicly as it is set and available to the public on request (or by querying our web site).

Only elected legislative officials have the power to set their own salaries. A city council sets their pay, as well as pay for the mayor and all unclassified civil servants. It works the same at the state and federal level.

Classified employees have a pay range for their Civil Service rank. My father once worked for a government research station which was a the largest employer in a small town. One of my mother's friends was nicknamed "Mrs. G-12" because she managed to work her husband's rank into most conversations.

 

[Malintent]

Mine's already public information.

What's your point?

If you are a public employee, then that is expected, and I believe beyond the scope of this dialog (based on the OP and initial responses).
If you are not, then I am asking what your expectations would be in light of willingness to share that information about yourself on a public forum.. an inevitability in today's information age if such information was readily shared with peers. My question, I guess, is what is good for the goose also good for the gander?

 

[Malintent]

Public disclosure of public wages also helps to mitigate against corruption and waste.

Private companies don't have to worry about corruption and waste?

any particular reason you just ignored the word "ALSO" in this response?
Would your post hold any meaning if you didn't ignore the connecting article that indicates this as only a part of the statement?

 

[Malintent]

So good and fine and why do you not see that this applies to private companies as well. Corruption in our society is a scourge at all levels, whether we pay directly through taxes or indirectly through discrimination

Because the difference between a private company, a publicly traded company, and a government facility is important... or of you the opinion that it just doesn't matter how church / state separation is applied, as an example of different treatment?

 

[Loren Pechtel]

I don't see anything wrong with having a regulation in place that says if you have X number of employees, say 50, you have to publish your job titles and pay scales for each job title. That way no names are attached but people know up front that if you get promoted to a certain position that this is how much the company will pay you. It leaves no more room for pay gaps for whatever reason.

And means that people are assumed to be stamped out with cookie cutters.

In the real world some people are better workers than others. Companies will pay more to keep such a person.

 

[Nice Squirrel]

I don't see anything wrong with having a regulation in place that says if you have X number of employees, say 50, you have to publish your job titles and pay scales for each job title. That way no names are attached but people know up front that if you get promoted to a certain position that this is how much the company will pay you. It leaves no more room for pay gaps for whatever reason.

And means that people are assumed to be stamped out with cookie cutters.

In the real world some people are better workers than others. Companies will pay more to keep such a person.

Not necessarily. Companies get rid of better workers all the time.

 

[ksen]

I don't see anything wrong with having a regulation in place that says if you have X number of employees, say 50, you have to publish your job titles and pay scales for each job title. That way no names are attached but people know up front that if you get promoted to a certain position that this is how much the company will pay you. It leaves no more room for pay gaps for whatever reason.

And means that people are assumed to be stamped out with cookie cutters.

In the real world some people are better workers than others. Companies will pay more to keep such a person.

Such regulations wouldn't necessarily do away with incentive bonuses but there would need to be protections in place to prevent them from being abused to just benefit the old boy's club.

 

[Jason Harvestdancer]

Suppose I do not want to share the information on my paycheck, and I am not a public employee.

What option do I have to say "none of your business" to anyone who wants to know? Or do I lack the right to say "none of your business"?

I asked these questions in an identical thread in the past, never got an answer.