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previous salary confidentiality

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  1. #31
    Quote Originally Posted by hhku:
    Can you let me know if it's strictly illegal to ask salary info from past employers? or is it just generally avoided but not illegal
    We would definitely ask for the last salary

    When I receive CVs from those who have just worked in local firms, they list the salary of every role they've been in, even if this goes back 10 or so years. This is normal practice in Hong Kong local firms, so I highly doubt its illegal
    hhku and angeluscomplex like this.

  2. #32

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    Plenty do, esp big banks for example.


  3. #33

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    Quote Originally Posted by Mat:
    Plenty do, esp big banks for example.
    You are still alive and lurking on Geo!!! Thought you went back to france years ago and never looked back..

  4. #34

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    Quote Originally Posted by DanielFRA:
    I don't think you'll make it far in any career. You clearly aren't very bright. You got all the relevant information with regard to evidence on current salary. And still you are asking such a weird question, as if you weren't incapable to process any of the information.

    Ironically you consider yourself a data scientist, where you can't deal with simple, useful data presented to you on a silver platter. Don't think you are worth more money than you're making.

    I know I will get a lot of beating, but that's ok. Somebody has to be honest. Everybody here being way too kind.
    The one question I asked here hasn't been satisfactorily answered by a single person yet even though I appreciate all of the information that people have shared. Feel free to go through the thread and tell me if anyone has commented with authority on the legality of this practice. So weird why you would choose to be this caustic when you could choose to just scroll past. Some national stereotypes really do make sense after all
    Last edited by hhku; 21-04-2022 at 10:12 AM.
    Flapster likes this.

  5. #35
    Quote Originally Posted by hhku:
    Are Hong Kong companies legally allowed to disclose a past employee's salary to a company that employee might be about to join?

    I know companies like to confirm dates of employment but are they allowed to ask for past salary?

    I'm thinking about starting a job search but I definitely don't want to get restricted by the typical "10 to 20%" salary increment that Hong Kong companies like to offer. So I'm considering two routes and I'd like to understand what's better:

    1. Be less than fully accurate about my past salary to my potential employers under the assumption that they can't figure out my past salary. Another thing to consider here is that not being legally allowed doesn't mean they can't ask. And if I refuse to furnish salary slips after disclosing my salary, what kind of signal does that send to them about me as a candidate.

    2. Refuse to share past salary details from the very beginning
    Which field you are in ? In IT and Management field, next company usually asks for salary slips of previous company during contract signing.

    If you refuse then its risk of disqualify or if HR is kind enough may be they accept your refusal so if you are willing to take risk then you can go ahead.

    I would like to suggest you that don't lie and if you want more salary you can switch jobs more frequently than normal.
    FrancisX likes this.

  6. #36

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    Quote Originally Posted by hhku:
    The one question I asked here hasn't been satisfactorily answered by a single person yet even though I appreciate all of the information that people have shared. Feel free to go through the thread and tell me if anyone has commented with authority on the legality of this practice. So weird why you would choose to be this caustic when you could choose to just scroll past. Some national stereotypes really do make sense after all
    The point is that is doesnt matter whether asking for salary proof is legal or not. It's a common practice, if an interviewer asks you for proof, you say "No thats illegal", then they will just move onto the next candidate. Other questions like "How old are you?", "Are you married?" are also illegal, but almost every resume I have seen in HK has age and marital status anyway. Many people also attach photos on their resume, I dont know what for because its also illegal to hire people based on race, gender, filter out ugly people, etc, so why do people put pictures on resume's in Hong Kong?
    LifeInHK and VillanElle like this.

  7. #37

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    My 2 cents:

    to answer the OPs question, no there is no need to share this 'legally' but there are plenty of people who will share this and you are likely going to be rejected from proceeding in the hiring process.

    Otherwise some other thoughts on this:

    1- always by honest in your dealings with potential employers. It shows good faith on your part.

    2- You should know your 'worth' in the market and whether any offer made is reasonable and reflects your skills, experience, capability, and potential.

    3-Never lie about absolutes or things that easy to verify like salaries. If you work in an industry that is relatively small, chances are that your new employers will know roughly how much you are getting anyways.

    4- Think for yourself - if you feel the new employer is low-balling you, or you feel you are being screwed over, would you really want to work for them?

    5- Remember - salary is only part of the so-called employee/employer value proposition. Its about what other stuff they can offer you, as much as what you can offer them. have a think about things like pension benefits, medical & dental, flexibility on working time, flexibility on WFH arrangements, work travel potential, future transfer overseas if you want to leave HK etc etc.

    (caveat - I have been lucky and have always worked for medium-large corporates so am mindful my own experience doesnt reflect certain professions/industries/SMEs. I also have a relatively niche skillset that is relatively rare in HK which also helps me.)

    6- just one thing to also raise in a corporate context, i would also advise being mindful of being too aggressive in getting that 'next title' or 'promotion' when your capabilities are not at that level yet. The expectations of you vs what you can deliver will mean your overall well-being will go down. You might have a bigger title, bigger team etc but if you fail to deliver at that level you might be 'let go' or 'demoted', and you will be super stressed at not being able to perform to expectations, and you might end up with no job, no income and a large gap in your CV/resume when you revisit the labour market.

    shri, freeier, LifeInHK and 3 others like this.

  8. #38

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    Quote Originally Posted by ndt:
    You are still alive and lurking on Geo!!! Thought you went back to france years ago and never looked back..

    Haha, still in HK!

  9. #39

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    Quote Originally Posted by hhku:
    Are Hong Kong companies legally allowed to disclose a past employee's salary to a company that employee might be about to join?
    Yes.
    Quote Originally Posted by hhku:
    Can you let me know if it's strictly illegal to ask salary info from past employers?
    No, it is not illegal.
    Quote Originally Posted by hhku:
    So I'm considering two routes and I'd like to understand what's better:
    1. Be less than fully accurate about my past salary. And if I refuse to furnish salary slips after disclosing my salary, what kind of signal does that send to them about me as a candidate
    2. Refuse to share past salary details from the very beginning
    Both 1 and 2 lead to bad results, either immediately by killing your chances for the role or negatively affect your prospects for a successful career with the employer eventually even if you get the job. Which is why nearly all of the ppl who responded to your post automatically skipped past them to advise alt routes. Between 1 and 2, 2 is better.
    shri and LifeInHK like this.

  10. #40

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    You should not lie about your salary - if your former employer does disclose it, you will be sacked.

    However, depending on what role you are applying for and how strong a candidate you are (i.e. how much they need you), I would not divulge your previous salary to your potential employer. It is completely irrelevant. It contributes to continued gender and ethnic pay gaps. And some countries with more progressive practices have outlawed asking it in the recruitment process for this very reason.

    Today we have a job seeker's market in HK - it is very hard to find the right staff and hard to keep them. Now is a good time to say if asked this question that it is confidential information hopefully without meaning you'll be rejected from the process. If people don't start saying no to this question, the practice will continue.

    HSY, hhku, shri and 1 others like this.