Tempting workplace habit can land you in big trouble with HR

17 January 2024 , 11:37

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This work habit could get you in trouble with HR (Stock Photo) (Image: Getty Images)

Let's be honest, most people's habits at work aren't entirely perfect all of the time. There are a few things that many of us have indulged in at work that are probably, in reality, best avoided - from a little bit of lighthearted gossip around the water cooler to really taking your time as you make your third coffee of the morning.

However, while a lot of the bad habits are pretty minor, there is one that experts have warned could land you in some serious trouble with HR - so caution is definitely advised with this one.

As reported in The Metro, experts advise that in some circumstances you should be really careful sharing exactly what your salary is with your colleagues. In most cases it's fine to chat to your colleagues about your pay - a right ensured by the 2010 Equality Act. But the difficulty comes if you have a particular clause in your contract, which could mean that you are prevented from doing so - a 'pay secrecy clause'.

This kind of clause acts as a way for your bosses to stop you from sharing the details of your wages with each other, and breaching it could get you in trouble with your HR department.

An expert - David Rice, HR expert at People Managing People - was quoted in The Metro as saying: "‘If there are any verbal or written policies that prohibit discussions about salaries, they could get into some legal trouble with HR".

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A second expert in employment law reportedly explained that this could extend even to losing your job if your contract contains a clause that stops you from sharing your salary with your colleagues.

There is an important exception to this though - if you think that you may have been discriminated against by your employers and paid less than your colleagues because of your race, religion, or disability for instance - then the Equality Act means that no matter what's in your contract, you can discuss salary.

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Emma Mackenzie