Latest news with #salarydisparity
Yahoo
28-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
New government report shows 'hard evidence' of racial wage disparities in B.C.
A new government report has found "hard evidence" of salary disparities between racialized and white workers in B.C. Released by the B.C. Anti-Racism Data Committee, the recent report found that in many occupations, "significant gaps" exist between the two groups' earnings. "We found robust evidence of earning gaps or differences between racialized and white workers in 11 of 26 occupational groups," it reads. "In nine of 11 groups, racialized workers had lower earnings." The findings are not surprising to many. "What the report is showing is that the pay gap, which we know exists, continues to exist," says Humera Jabir, a staff lawyer and pay equity advocate with West Coast LEAF who wasn't involved in the report. The study looked at data from Statistics Canada's 2021 census, and focused on B.C.'s full-time workers age 15 to 65 in 2020. It looked at the annual earnings of racialized workers — without specifying their ethnicity — and white ones. After adjusting for factors like age, gender, education and generation in Canada, the occupation groups where racialized workers made less than white workers were: retail and service supervisors; processing and manufacturing; transport helpers and labourers; technical trades and transport officers; middle management; business and finance; general trades; technical science; and natural and applied sciences. The gap ranged from seven per cent a year in the natural and applied sciences group, to 33 per cent in retail, favouring white workers. Only in two groups, health support roles and health professionals, did racialized workers make more. Authors say many factors could be behind the gaps — like data from a particular occupation including a higher proportion of younger workers — however their analysis found that statistical differences persisted even after accounting for variations in things like age and gender. The study found older age did not translate to higher wages for racialized workers as it did for white workers in some sectors. In business and finance, for example, workers' wages were similar until their mid-30s. But from age 50 to 54, racialized workers made about $50,000 less than white workers. Education level also made a difference: in the transport helpers group, which has "no formal education requirements," white workers with a university degree made twice as much as racialized workers with the same education. For those in technical science, racialized workers with post-secondary education earned about the same as white workers with a high school diploma or less. Authors also looked at whether being born in or outside of Canada made a difference to earnings. They found that in some occupations, racialized workers who were first-generation — born outside of Canada — earned less than those who were second-generation or born in Canada. Among first-generation workers in the middle-management group, those who were racialized made nearly $30,000 less than those who were white. Across occupations, disparities were widest between racialized women and white men. Things were reversed in health care: the study found racialized health support workers earned 22 per cent more than white workers. For health professionals, earnings were similar across age groups until age 50 to 54, where racialized workers earned nearly $31,000 more than white workers. Authors say more research is needed to understand why health care is an outlier. "These differences are likely not due to systemic discrimination and are not considered earning gaps," the study reads, adding that further analysis is needed to factor in pandemic-related bonus or overtime pay in 2020. Authors also suggest looking at data like immigration status and more recent information, as 2020 was an "abnormal" year for workers due to COVID-19. Nonetheless, they say, the study lays the foundations for B.C.'s work toward economic inclusion. "It's definitely not the ultimate research," says Zareen Naqvi, executive director of institutional research and planning at Simon Fraser University and a member of the Anti-Racism Data Committee. "You can think about it as a 'first cut' into looking at this issue and providing some hard evidence of what those differences in salaries may be for racialized and non-racialized workers." Hermender Singh Kailley, secretary treasurer of the B.C. Federation of Labour, says the report validates what he's heard anecdotally. He's a member of the Provincial Committee on Anti-Racism, formed earlier this year to help dismantle systemic racism in the province. "Data has to be followed by action, and our province needs to act promptly to break those barriers down," he said. "That's the work we're doing." B.C. passed the Pay Transparency Act in 2023, which mandates government agencies, the province's largest Crown corporations, and companies with 1,000 employees or more to publish annual pay transparency reports. That will extend to companies with 300 employees or more this year, and to those with 50 employees or more by 2026. Human Rights Commissioner Kasari Govender says the legislation is not as robust as she'd like it to be because there are no penalties for non-compliance. "We can collect the data, but if we're not requiring ... employers to actually do something about it, then we're not actually completing our work around pay equity," she said. Jabir with West Coast LEAF echoes that, saying stronger pay equity laws would have the "teeth and mechanisms" to mandate employers to close the wage gaps. B.C.'s Ministry of Labour declined a request for comment. Citizens' Services Minister George Chow said in a statement that the research provides "useful" information for employers and employee groups, and that the report has been shared across government. The Provincial Committee on Anti-Racism is engaging with communities throughout the year and is set to make recommendations based on the report's findings, with their action plan due to be published by June 2026.
CBC
28-06-2025
- Business
- CBC
New government report shows 'hard evidence' of racial wage disparities in B.C.
A new government report has found "hard evidence" of salary disparities between racialized and white workers in B.C. Released by the B.C. Anti-Racism Data Committee, the recent report found that in many occupations, "significant gaps" exist between the two groups' earnings. "We found robust evidence of earning gaps or differences between racialized and white workers in 11 of 26 occupational groups," it reads. "In nine of 11 groups, racialized workers had lower earnings." The findings are not surprising to many. "What the report is showing is that the pay gap, which we know exists, continues to exist," says Humera Jabir, a staff lawyer and pay equity advocate with West Coast LEAF who wasn't involved in the report. The study looked at data from Statistics Canada's 2021 census, and focused on B.C.'s full-time workers age 15 to 65 in 2020. It looked at the annual earnings of racialized workers — without specifying their ethnicity — and white ones. After adjusting for factors like age, gender, education and generation in Canada, the occupation groups where racialized workers made less than white workers were: retail and service supervisors; processing and manufacturing; transport helpers and labourers; technical trades and transport officers; middle management; business and finance; general trades; technical science; and natural and applied sciences. The gap ranged from seven per cent a year in the natural and applied sciences group, to 33 per cent in retail, favouring white workers. Only in two groups, health support roles and health professionals, did racialized workers make more. Authors say many factors could be behind the gaps — like data from a particular occupation including a higher proportion of younger workers — however their analysis found that statistical differences persisted even after accounting for variations in things like age and gender. The study found older age did not translate to higher wages for racialized workers as it did for white workers in some sectors. In business and finance, for example, workers' wages were similar until their mid-30s. But from age 50 to 54, racialized workers made about $50,000 less than white workers. Education level also made a difference: in the transport helpers group, which has "no formal education requirements," white workers with a university degree made twice as much as racialized workers with the same education. For those in technical science, racialized workers with post-secondary education earned about the same as white workers with a high school diploma or less. Authors also looked at whether being born in or outside of Canada made a difference to earnings. They found that in some occupations, racialized workers who were first-generation — born outside of Canada — earned less than those who were second-generation or born in Canada. Among first-generation workers in the middle-management group, those who were racialized made nearly $30,000 less than those who were white. Across occupations, disparities were widest between racialized women and white men. Things were reversed in health care: the study found racialized health support workers earned 22 per cent more than white workers. For health professionals, earnings were similar across age groups until age 50 to 54, where racialized workers earned nearly $31,000 more than white workers. Authors say more research is needed to understand why health care is an outlier. "These differences are likely not due to systemic discrimination and are not considered earning gaps," the study reads, adding that further analysis is needed to factor in pandemic-related bonus or overtime pay in 2020. 'Data has to be followed by action' Authors also suggest looking at data like immigration status and more recent information, as 2020 was an "abnormal" year for workers due to COVID-19. Nonetheless, they say, the study lays the foundations for B.C.'s work toward economic inclusion. "It's definitely not the ultimate research," says Zareen Naqvi, executive director of institutional research and planning at Simon Fraser University and a member of the Anti-Racism Data Committee. "You can think about it as a 'first cut' into looking at this issue and providing some hard evidence of what those differences in salaries may be for racialized and non-racialized workers." Hermender Singh Kailley, secretary treasurer of the B.C. Federation of Labour, says the report validates what he's heard anecdotally. He's a member of the Provincial Committee on Anti-Racism, formed earlier this year to help dismantle systemic racism in the province. "Data has to be followed by action, and our province needs to act promptly to break those barriers down," he said. "That's the work we're doing." B.C. passed the Pay Transparency Act in 2023, which mandates government agencies, the province's largest Crown corporations, and companies with 1,000 employees or more to publish annual pay transparency reports. That will extend to companies with 300 employees or more this year, and to those with 50 employees or more by 2026. Human Rights Commissioner Kasari Govender says the legislation is not as robust as she'd like it to be because there are no penalties for non-compliance. "We can collect the data, but if we're not requiring ... employers to actually do something about it, then we're not actually completing our work around pay equity," she said. Jabir with West Coast LEAF echoes that, saying stronger pay equity laws would have the "teeth and mechanisms" to mandate employers to close the wage gaps. B.C.'s Ministry of Labour declined a request for comment. Citizens' Services Minister George Chow said in a statement that the research provides "useful" information for employers and employee groups, and that the report has been shared across government.
Yahoo
15-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Same Role, Same Experience—One Tech Worker Found Out Colleague Made Nearly Double The Money. It Could End Up Badly For One Of Them
A tech employee recently discovered a jaw-dropping pay gap between them and a colleague with the same title and similar experience. While they earn $60,000 a year, their coworker, 'John,' makes $115,000. The two work at a large tech company, and the disparity sparked a flood of advice and opinion on Reddit. The original poster explained that they lead two teams—including one that the poster built from scratch—while John is just a member of one. They have been at the company for two years; John has been there for three. The key difference is that John came from a startup that was acquired by the tech giant, keeping his original salary intact. The poster, on the other hand, was hired post-merger through a staffing agency. Don't Miss: Maker of the $60,000 foldable home has 3 factory buildings, 600+ houses built, and big plans to solve housing — Peter Thiel turned $1,700 into $5 billion—now accredited investors are eyeing this software company with similar breakout potential. Learn how you can 'He was hired as part of a startup that was bought by this tech company,' OP wrote. 'As such, his higher pay carried over after the merge. I was hired after the merge through a staffing agency.' OP later updated the post to add: 'I found out today that the company is trying very hard to find a reason to get rid of John, which is at least partially because he makes so much. Maybe our pay difference was for the best lol!' This revelation added a surprising twist to the situation. While OP may be underpaid, John's inflated salary appears to have made him a target. Many companies are always looking for ways to cut costs. If they think someone is overpaid and replaceable, some start building a case to get rid of them. What started as a frustrating realization for OP might ultimately end in job loss for John. The title of 'highest-paid peer' can sometimes come with a bullseye. Trending: Invest where it hurts — and help millions heal:. Commenters were quick to point out a harsh truth: negotiating power is everything. 'Apply to another job and get an offer. Use that offer to negotiate higher pay at your current job. Then—maybe—take the new job, it might be time to move in a new direction,' one commenter advised. Another added, 'There is no maybe. Take the new job.' Many echoed the same idea: internal raises tend to be small, and significant jumps usually come by switching employers. Others cautioned that bringing up John's name directly in negotiations would be a mistake. 'Try to negotiate a raise and don't bring John up in any way, shape or form,' someone warned. 'You now know how high the ceiling is and they don't know that you know. Use that to your advantage.'Many highlighted how hiring timing and negotiation skills play a bigger role than job performance. John kept a premium salary due to his previous startup role, while OP started at the lower end because of agency involvement and timing. '60k in tech is low, and that has nothing to do with the 'pay gap,' it's just low, period,' one compensation expert wrote. 'You should be looking and interviewing, and the same would be true if you didn't have a better-paid colleague.' Some speculated that John's days may be numbered. 'If they had someone that they thought was capable of doing John's job for $60k, they would fire John today and hire that person,' a person foreshadowed what could happen before the post was updated. The overwhelming consensus is not to count on your company to fix pay discrepancies. Use market research, get external offers, and be willing to leave. 'You're only as valuable as someone is willing to pay you,' one person summarized. Read Next: Here's what Americans think you need to be considered wealthy. Inspired by Uber and Airbnb – Deloitte's fastest-growing software company is transforming 7 billion smartphones into income-generating assets – Up Next: Transform your trading with Benzinga Edge's one-of-a-kind market trade ideas and tools. Click now to access unique insights that can set you ahead in today's competitive market. Get the latest stock analysis from Benzinga? APPLE (AAPL): Free Stock Analysis Report TESLA (TSLA): Free Stock Analysis Report This article Same Role, Same Experience—One Tech Worker Found Out Colleague Made Nearly Double The Money. It Could End Up Badly For One Of Them originally appeared on © 2025 Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved. Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Independent Singapore
01-06-2025
- Business
- Independent Singapore
Man finds out his colleague earns S$500 more than him, asks if he should speak up or stay silent
SINGAPORE: A Singapore-based tech sales employee recently discovered that he's being paid hundreds of dollars less than a colleague who joined the company at the same time. Posting anonymously on the r/askSingapore forum, the employee shared that the topic of pay arose during a casual dinner with his teammates, where they began comparing their base salaries. 'We were discussing our base pay, and I realized that I've been getting paid significantly less (around S$400 to S$500),' he said. 'At first, I thought it might be because they had been with the company longer, but one colleague who joined at the same time as me (we even went through the interview process together last year) is being paid much more as well.' Uncertain about how to proceed, he turned to the online community for advice, asking, 'Am I supposed to just accept this, or should I bring it up with HR? Even though I know that might go against what the contract says?' 'The salary offered will differ from one person to another…' In the comments, one user pointed out that while the situation may feel unfair, the employee had ultimately agreed to his salary terms when he accepted the offer. 'You agreed to your terms of employment when you signed the contract,' the user wrote. 'You can ask, but there is really no basis. I mean, you agreed on the contract and (signed), right?' Another added, 'In the same job role, there are several factors to be considered that qualify you—market rates (at that moment), experience, qualifications, particular niche skillsets, and others. Hence, the salary offered will differ from one person to another. Every candidate is different, even for the same role. You also agreed to the contract when you signed the offer.' A third, however, urged him to 'leave' the company, adding, 'You're responsible for yourself. Your boss and HR are not responsible for increasing your pay. Their priority is for the company, not you. Now that you know what the basic pay is for your job, it should be easier to go find another job and negotiate. Heck, you can even find higher pay; that's what job hopping is for.' What to do when you find out your colleague earns more Finding out a colleague earns more than you can feel like a punch to the gut, or at least a hard nudge, but before you jump to conclusions or spiral into frustration, take a moment to pause. According to staffing agency Mondo, there are a few helpful steps you can take to make sense of the situation: Assess your colleague's background Your colleague may possess more years of experience, different qualifications, or a longer tenure with the company, which could have contributed to several salary increases over time. Research about your role Use this as a chance to reflect on where you're at. Research what people in similar roles are earning in your field and location. Sites like Glassdoor or Payscale can give you a rough idea of what's fair. Bring it up with your manager If, after your research, you still feel like you're underpaid, you can bring it up with your manager. However, it's important to remember that when you do have that conversation, focus on your own work, progress, and what you bring to the team. Read also: 'The reno worker just let them in': Woman horrified as neighbours invade her new BTO unit
