When Natasha Seymour, an employee at the bookshop Hill of Content, noticed that her pay didn’t align with her responsibilities, she successfully negotiated a pay rise and back payment. She then shared this news with her fellow casual employees. However, about a month later, Seymour received an email from her employer informing her that she had lost their trust and her job. Now, she is taking Hill of Content to court under new laws that prevent employers from demanding pay secrecy from their workers.
In the email of dismissal, Hill of Content co-owner Duncan Johnston expressed disappointment in Seymour’s actions and accused her of disregarding confidentiality. He mentioned that Seymour was promoted not because of the pay dispute, but because his wife trusted her and saw potential for her to become future assistant management material. However, Seymour had not previously been made aware of this potential promotion. The email concluded by stating that Seymour would no longer be receiving shifts at the bookshop.
Seymour was shocked and felt rejected by the industry after being dismissed. She feared that her dream of working in the publishing industry had been shattered by discussing her pay, which she believed was a common conversation among junior publishing staff. However, she has received support from others in the industry and believes it is important to have these discussions.
The new pay secrecy laws, which came into effect in December, prohibit employers from preventing workers from discussing their pay and ban pay confidentiality clauses in contracts. After being fired, Seymour sought assistance from the Young Workers Centre and received legal representation. The case will test the strength of these new laws.
Seymour’s case is part of a larger movement that believes pay secrecy contributes to inequality, including the gender pay gap and racial pay gap. Pay secrecy can lead to oppressive practices and perpetuate these gaps. Transparent workplaces with open communication between employers and employees are encouraged to promote equality.
Seymour hopes that her case will set a precedent and encourage more public discussions about pay. She believes that the secrecy surrounding pay is based on fear. Pay discussions are typically hush-hush among junior employees in the publishing industry, but Seymour wants to change that.
The article concludes by stating that Hill of Content has been contacted for comment.