Hacker News Reader

Comment by zach | Hacker News Reader

Quick note: in California wage secrecy is illegal.

Section 232 of The California Labor Code prohibits employers from:

    * requiring as a condition of employment that any employee refrain from disclosing the amount of their wages [Section 232(a)];
    * requiring an employee to sign a waiver of their right to disclose their wages [§232(b)]; or
    * discharging, formally disciplining, or otherwise discriminating against an employee who discloses the amount of their wages [§232(c)].

View on HN

This is true.

However California is an at will state, you don't have to disclose why you fired someone. And I've been verbally informed at all of my jobs in California that I shouldn't disclose what I make. So in practice it seems that people are strongly encouraged to keep what they make secret.

Furthermore when I worked in New York I was informed that it was a legal requirement that I not disclose. And I have no reason to doubt that that was the law there.

You have a right to know why you're fired. You can't be fired for legally protected reasons. If you're fired for revealing your wage, your employer is in a lot of trouble.

Yes, you cannot be fired for legally protected reasons. Well, the company that fired you also knows that. So they come up with a reason that is not protected( "Does not fit well with the company culture"). The burden of proof is upon the ex-employee to show that they were let go for a protected reason(It is a very high burden).

Reply on news.ycombinator.com