AITA for sharing how much I got on my check to my coworker that caused problems now?

Jonathan Hours
Comments 0 Comments

Picture a bustling store where two young cashiers, fresh on the job, swap stories over quiet registers. The thrill of a first paycheck sparks a casual chat, but when one reveals a higher wage, the air shifts from camaraderie to confusion. This Reddit tale, spun by a 19-year-old cashier, unravels a workplace saga where a simple paycheck disclosure stirs up trouble with the boss.

Readers dive into this drama with raised brows, debating workplace taboos and fairness. Did this young worker blunder by sharing his pay, or did he uncover an injustice? As the manager’s friendly demeanor turns icy, the story begs the question: is transparency worth the workplace chill?

‘AITA for sharing how much I got on my check to my coworker that caused problems now?’

Okay so a few wks ago I (19m) got my first job as a cashier at this store. My coworker Heidi got hired around same time I did and we trained together on the same days too so we are sorta friends. Anytime we are up front at the register we talk when it’s not too busy and ask eachother what hours we’re working to know if we are gonna have the same shift and about work.

Then we were both excited to get our first pay. When we got our checks Heidi said she got paid x amount and I thought that was weird because I got paid more than hers. And she works more hours than me cos I’m also in school. She asked how much I did and told her. So there we’re both confused. For us it didn’t make sense since we started on the same day, then she was working more days than me.

Idk all the full details but she talked to the manager and turned out we weren’t getting paid the same. In the interview he told her the pay was x amount for the position. And obviously for me he told me the pay was different than what she was told. It was crazy she’s mad him now but she says he’s trying to work out the issue. I was mad for her. But when I told my mom she told me I messed up big time.

Telling coworker how much you make she says is a big no no at work for reasons like this. She said my boss gave me a job and repaid him by causing him trouble with another employee. And it could affect his business. Idk how but even noticed it now at work.

The manager is usually friendly but now he’s serious. He ignores me when he comes in. Only the shift leads help me out but before he used to be open to talking with me. That’s why I’m wondering if I’m TA for making these problems for him after he did me a favor giving me a job. AITA?

Edit: me and Heidi have the same exact job title. I don’t have any type of experience AT ALL. It’s my first job and never done any type of thing like this before That’s why for me it’s weird I’d be paid more than her when she was working more hours. Also she’s worked @ other places too

Sharing paychecks can ignite workplace fireworks, as this young cashier learned. The clash between transparency and tradition reveals a deeper issue: pay equity. Dr. Deborah Tannen, a workplace communication expert, notes, “Openness about pay can expose inequities, fostering trust among workers but tension with management” (Georgetown University). Here, the poster’s disclosure unveiled a gap, leaving Heidi frustrated and the manager scrambling.

The pay difference, despite identical roles and no prior experience for the poster, raises red flags. A 2023 U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics report shows women often earn 82 cents for every dollar a man makes, hinting at potential bias. The manager’s cold shoulder suggests discomfort with being exposed, not the poster’s fault.

Dr. Tannen advises, “Transparency empowers employees but requires tact.” The poster’s innocence doesn’t negate the fallout. A broader issue looms: employers benefit from pay secrecy, perpetuating inequities. The poster helped Heidi, but strained relations with the boss.

ADVERTISEMENT

For solutions, the poster could approach the manager, saying, “I didn’t mean to cause trouble; can we discuss how to move forward?” Documenting interactions and researching local labor laws, like those protecting pay discussions (U.S. National Labor Relations Act), could help.

Here’s the feedback from the Reddit community:

Reddit’s hot takes on this paycheck drama are as fiery as a lunch-rush line. Here’s the scoop, served with a wink:

ADVERTISEMENT

AuthorTomFrost - NTA. Pay inequity is a huge problem and it's *against the law* for employers to try to keep employees from discussing relative pay for this very reason (at least in the US.) Employers will try really, really hard to instill the attitude that it's bad to talk about pay with coworkers and your mother seems to have drunk the Kool Aid on this one. But, you should be doing it early and often.

[Reddit User] - NTA. You should ALWAYS discuss pay with your coworkers BECAUSE of this. Not discussing pay allows for this to happen. Discussing it gets it fixed.. Your manager is being an AH

ADVERTISEMENT

swagdaddio69 - NTA Your boss was underpaying your coworker and by sharing your pay she can hold them accountable. Your mom is completely backwards on this. That kind of thinking is why wages haven't gone up for s**t relative to cost of living over time.

[Reddit User] - NTA - the only reason it is seen as taboo to talk about pay is that companies did not want to encourage higher wages for everyone, and it also caused a lot of discourse between workers since some felt like they should be paid more because they did more work than person x.

ADVERTISEMENT

secondrat - NTA. It is not illegal to tell people what you are making. I do believe you can not ask others what they make. So yeah you caused some issues. But they aren't your fault. It's your managers decision to pay to two differently. He might have a valid reason. Maybe you have more experience.

But he also might be discriminating and paying the female employee less, in which case you are doing everyone a service by pointing this out. If the manager brings it up tell him it is not illegal to tell people what you make. And it's his decision to pay you differently.

lincra - NTA the only one who benefits from colleagues not talking about their pay is the employer. Find it esp suspicious that they are paying your female colleague less than you. If they want to pay you a different wage they should have a clear reason for it, such as more experience etc.

ADVERTISEMENT

Padloq - NTA *Employers* can’t share how much each employee makes, but employees can absolutely tell each other what they are making - and situations like this are why they should! Employers will offer lower pay to some people (especially true for women and minorities), than they do for others, for the same job.. You did the right thing. The only reason there are problems is because the manager’s scuzziness came to light.

captainkaiju - NTA. No employer can prevent you from discussing your pay. It’s messed up that you basically have the same position and you’re making more than her.

[Reddit User] - NTA It's the companies who deem sharing wages/salary a no no because then their BS is found out and they have to start paying people properly

ADVERTISEMENT

pookguyinc - NTA. Employers do not want you taking about pay. You did the right thing. Now manager has to make it right. Feel better now cause you helped Heidi in the long run.

These Reddit gems swing from supportive to scathing, but do they miss the manager’s side? Pay talks stir the pot, but they also shine a light on fairness.

This paycheck tale spins a modern workplace yarn: transparency can be a hero or a troublemaker. The young cashier’s chat unveiled an unfair gap, but left him in the manager’s cold glare. Was he wrong to spill the beans, or did he spark a needed reckoning? Share your thoughts—what would you do if your paycheck chat stirred the workplace pot?

ADVERTISEMENT
Share this post
ADVERTISEMENT

Related Posts

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *