what you ask over there but don't over here.....(in my experience)

With my job here, it's all about banding so if you are in 'band x' then people automatically know in what range your salary is.  In North America, it is much more arbitrary, I find and thus people are much more reluctant to talk about it.  I've had jobs where we were forbidden to reveal our salaries - grounds for firing. 

I don't think it's a US/UK thing though, it's a job-with-pay-grades vs job-without-pay-grades thing.

Most private sector employers work like you've described the US, everyone negotiates there own salary.

The exception is certain types of job that have very defines 'grades' with pay directly linked to grade.  So if a Level 5b with 2 management points earns between £x and £y and you know someone's grade you can accurately guess there salary.

Off the top of my head jobs that work like this include some civil service, parts of the NHS, teachers and some universities.  But if you work elsewhere then your eperience will be different.

I don't think it's a US/UK thing though, it's a job-with-pay-grades vs job-without-pay-grades thing.

I think that's true. I once worked for a big hospital in the US, and all the jobs were graded. You might not know exactly what the person in the next office was making, but you certainly knew within a thousand dollars or so. The same was true at a university a friend of mine worked at.

It's true that certain types of jobs are going to be pretty easy to guess salaries. Still, I've found the English much more nosey about what I earn. Furthermore, salary ranges are posted in the job adverts here whereas in the US they tend to be much more coy ('salary commesurate with experience'). That's annoying when you're job hunting over there though!!

With my job here, it's all about banding so if you are in 'band x' then people automatically know in what range your salary is.  In North America, it is much more arbitrary, I find and thus people are much more reluctant to talk about it.  I've had jobs where we were forbidden to reveal our salaries - grounds for firing. 

True. In education, everything is scaled so everyone knows everyone else's scale 

I agree with the banded salary.  I have no idea what anyone else in my office makes, but in the U.S. I knew generally because we had the bands. 

Not sure if this has been mentioned, but what I noticed about the UK is that people here are more likely to say things like "I'm skint until payday" , in the states (from what I noticed anyway)  you dont admit things like that.

On the topic of salarys, when I had my job in the states, we got an email from head office saying if you disclose your salary to another co-worker...you're fired.
A bit harsh, but it stemmed from people being upset because person (A) makes more money then person (b) even though person (b) has been there longer.

Not sure if this has been mentioned, but what I noticed about the UK is that people here are more likely to say things like "I'm skint until payday" , in the states (from what I noticed anyway)  you dont admit things like that.

Oh yes!  My colleagues will come right out and say that they've dipped into their overdrafts or that they can't spend a thing until payday.  I would NEVER say that out loud to anyone other than family!

And, of course, I know how much they make, so I'm aware of how much money they have to go through before hitting the bottom of the barrel!

Interesting.  This must be a US-specific taboo.  Doesn't apply in Canada or Japan, (in my experience) unless you're well over 60 or some kind of heir.. or criminal.   

Interesting.  This must be a US-specific taboo.  Doesn't apply in Canada or Japan, (in my experience) unless you're well over 60 or some kind of heir.. or criminal.   

In my experience it is considered rude (in the US) to ask how much someone makes.  Unless you do it very tactfully for a reason such as you want to work for the company or something.  But then I guess one would say, "I hope you don't mind my asking but how much is the starting wage at XYZ Company?"  That way the person you are asking isn't divulging their own salary.

I was also brought up that how much money one had or didn't have was a very private matter.  I sort of still feel that way.

If you don't talk about it,  how do you figure out if you're underpaid.. or how to reduce your taxes.. or your mortgage.. or what returns you should expect from your retirement/investment funds?  I've received lots of great info from people.  Hopefully I've given some, too.  But yes, I've heard that money is considered a 'dirty' subject in the States.

I would never ask anyone what their salary is in the US or the UK, but I don't mind disclosing how much money I make- it's not a big deal to me.  I pretty much know about what everyone makes at my workplace though since we have pay grades and it's no secret which pay grade everyone is on.

I've never been asked how much I make while I'm in the UK. I've had tons of people in the UK ask me who I voted for in the last US presidential election. I just told them that it was seen as something private and not something you just go around asking people.

With my job here, it's all about banding so if you are in 'band x' then people automatically know in what range your salary is.  In North America, it is much more arbitrary, I find and thus people are much more reluctant to talk about it.  I've had jobs where we were forbidden to reveal our salaries - grounds for firing. 

My experience has been the same as Mrs. Pink.  At my UK job, you can find out everyone's band by looking them up on the company intranet; the intranet also shows the salary range for each band.

My sister worked in payroll in the US for many years in the same industry where I work now (financial services). It was very disheartening to her, because people weren't allowed to discuss salaries, and because she had "inside information" she knew that there were people who contributed hardly anything and made shedloads of money, and people who worked their butts off for years and made practically nothing - and had no idea that they weren't being paid enough because nobody was allowed to know what anyone else was making.

In the US, I have also had the experience of sharing salary information being a sackable offense, although in a different industry (advertising).

ETA: I know plenty of people in the US who said they didn't have any money till payday.

I don't think money is a dirty subject in the states.  I will talk about what I make with my friends or how broke I am, but just a private one. 

My husband had no idea what others were making at his company, but it was German so I wonder if that has something to do with it. 

My friends and I will mention being short on money or trying to save, but don't usually talk amounts. I've seen that you have to be pretty close with someone in order to talk that way.

Salary amounts are a no-no for discussion. I'm in education and even with the salary scale there are still differences. I'm on a higher step than I'm supposed to be and I'd be in big trouble if I said anything to anyone.

I think that making it difficult to know if you're being over or underpaid is probably part of why it's a sackable offense to talk about it.