A couple of years ago I was grad at a big 4 accounting firm. I hadn't majored in accounting at University so they offered to pay for additional study to build up my accounting foundation (with a one year bonding period). There was also the option to apply for 4 hours a week off as PAID study leave, I applied and it was approved by all the partners and HR. Fast forward, I am on my last 2 accounting papers and for my job I was typically known as a “fixer” (whenever the clients systems weren't working right or they'd buggered something up, I would get sent out. It was very difficult and demanding work that they could charge very well for.) I have my annual review and my managing partner said she really went to bat for me and they have decided to promote me to the next level, congrats!
I later found out that my salary would be x, which was a good $8k below the lowest salary band for that level. When I questioned this the next day, the partner said it was because i technically worked 4 hours less per week (although it is worth noting that i was usually doing overtime just to keep on top of the insane workload so these 4 hours were made up anyway – and all overtime is UNPAID and NOT give as time in lieu).
Now I understand the logic and of course the study agreement had a “we can change our minds at any time” clause. Since I was on my last papers and I had other things going on outside of work, I decided that the money would be more valuable than the study time off. So the next week I sat down with the partner and basically told her this. Her response was horrible. She thought it was so rude and disrespectful after she backed me for the promotion for me to then ask for the lowest salary in that level's band in exchange for changing my hours to be full time (which is what she told me the reason for the lower salary was). It wasn't like there was a shortage of work for that level, we were constantly swamped. She said she wasn't sure if she would be able to swing it. She would have to discuss with the other partners and would get back to me.
The next day she came back and said it wouldn't be possible. They had only agreed to promotion and this specific pay for me (keep in mind this is a multi-million dollar company). And honestly, while I wish I had of had the confidence to challenge her, I didn't. I just accepted it. At this time I was very depressed. They had crushed my spirit over the course of my time with them and I truely believed myself to be worthless and undeserving. I was crying both at work and home regularly because of how they made me feel.
However, over that week and the Christmas break (which started the next week) it festered in my brain. I got angrier and angrier. Her reaction was the straw that finally broke my back. How she basically said “how dare you ask for the bare minimum!”. I felt like they promoted me so that I would take on more responsibility and work for less pay than it would be for one of my colleagues. From then on, I gave them the minimum – I did my job well but strictly during my contracted work hours. I started looking for a new job. I found a really good one within two months that I still have and I love it. Handing in my notice to that partner was very satisfying. She was very shocked and said “look, I can see what we can do to keep you here but I'm not sure if I can get you more money”. I said something along the lines of “that's fine. This is my actual resignation, not a negotiation”.
It's only been since leaving and being in a great work environment that I have really been able to see the true extent of the damage they inflicted on me. It has literally taken years to rebuild my self esteem.
Know your worth people! Dont be afraid to ask questions. This movement gives me hope that less people will go through what I did.