If I was shown a email circulating among my co-workers and in it one of the employees claims to know my salary by having “seen the books”, are there grounds for a lawsuit for beach of confidentiality?
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If I was shown a email circulating among my co-workers and in it one of the employees claims to know my salary by having “seen the books”, are there grounds for a lawsuit for beach of confidentiality?
I work at a private corporation and I know salaries and bonuses are not publicly disclosed.
Asked on October 8, 2015 under Employment Labor Law, Pennsylvania
Answers:
SJZ, Member, New York Bar / FreeAdvice Contributing Attorney
Answered 8 years ago | Contributor
No, there are no grounds to sue, because your salary is not "confidential." It is not common, professional, or required to disclose them, but nor is it illegal a company is legally allowed to tell anyone's salary to anyone else or the world at large, unless there was a contractual agreement a written contract to keep it confidential--in that case, and that only, you could sue based on breach of cntract.
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