Is it legal to lower someone's wages even though their performance on the job hasn't decreased?

I live in Texas. I've been working for the same company for almost 19 years. I've been making $15.75 an hour for the last few yrs. because they say I've peaked out for the amount I can make for the district I work in. I work hard and do my job better than most of my fellow employees, yet they keep getting raises and I don't even thou my job performance well exceeds theirs. I've learned to deal with that, but now the company has come up with a new pay scale based on skill level. My skill level is at the highest level and the company has set the highest rate of pay for my skill level is $13.50 an hour. Therefore they reduced my hourly wage from $15.75 to $13.50 an hour even thou my performance has not decreased at all. All the other employees get to keep their wages and have can get raises but no matter how hard I work, I am not eligible to ever get a pay increase, only another decrease. Is this legal? And if so, how is it fair?

susanmarie

Is it legal? Yes.

Is it fair? That's tough to answer. Have the executives taken a pay cut, too? They may have! And, they may not have.

Many companies simply fire the workers they believe are making more than they want to pay. You are lucky in that they are lowering your wage instead of firing you altogether.

If I were you, I would look for another job. When you find another job tell your company that you would like to stay and would stay if they pay you what you desire. If they agree, ask then to put in writing the amount of money you will make and for what length of time and how frequently you will receive cost of living raises. That is a fair request.

I am not saying that they will agree to do that, but it is fair and smart of you to ask for it. (Without cost of living raises, you are losing income anyway!)

Be prepared for them to say no, they won't agree and then you take the other job.

Be prepared for them to say they want to work with you to keep you.

It could go either way.

Good Luck!

cheryl v

Unfortunately alot of companies have gone to this payscale and it is legal.It is not fair but its legal,they code the job codes and according to what that department is coded is how much you will be paid,and if you make more than that code is allowed then the deduct if you make less thess they raise it.You can get raises til you are maxed out then your raises quit.Not fair

Judy

Fair, maybe not - but it's legal as long as your pay is still at least minimum wage - and it's above that. It's also perfectly legal for you to quit and find a job that will pay you more.

ajsnskool

Unfortunately, it is completely legal. Doesn't make it any easier for you to swallow, but your only recourse would be to a) get a promotion to a higher paying job code or b) find a new job and quit. Employers can pay you whatever they want (unless your job is governed by either a personal employment contract or a union contract) and can change your pay, up or down, at any time. Is it fair? Absolutely not. The others can get raises because they were obviously hired in at alot lower pay than you. My advice would to be to try and move on to a better job and better employer. Good luck.

Barry C

Just curious. Did everyone get a cut in pay? The economy may be hurting your company. It might be time to look elsewhere with your experience and background.

electrikyle

As far as I know, that's completely unethical. It seems like they would cut hours if they were trying to save money, as lowering wages seems like a good way to brew up some employee resentment.

Cheri S

This is not the type of question you can have accurately answered on here. You should go to your local branch of employment standards, or if you are in a union talk to them. There must be some governemnt entity that can solve your problem. Look up employment rights, etc. Once you find that, go in and TALK to someone in person, bring all your pay stubs, any correspondence they have sent you, etc.

You might be screwed if you signed anything consenting to this.

Good luck, don;'t let them get away with ripping you off!!

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