Should you have to pay two people the same amount of money for the same work?

[A18]

Hell no.

[Joe Kakistocracy]

Depends how well they do it.

[dazzleman]

Depends how well they do it.

Exactly.  People should be paid on overall productivity.  Just because two people are doing the same job doesn't mean they're equally productive.

[Nym90]

Depends how well they do it.

Exactly. People should be paid on overall productivity. Just because two people are doing the same job doesn't mean they're equally productive.

I agree. If two people do the same job equally well, they should get equal pay. But obviously how well each employee does the job is subjective in most cases.

[A18]

Why should two people who do the same job get paid equally? Do we no longer have the right to spend our money freely in this 1984-esque totalitarian country?

[dazzleman]

Why should two people who do the same job get paid equally? Do we no longer have the right to spend our money freely in this 1984-esque totalitarian country?

Would you like to be the person who got paid less?

In a professional environment, employees effectively negotiate their own pay amounts, so the amounts do differ, even for the same job.  Employers generally like to keep them within a certain range, but I have conducted many such grueling negotiations with people I manage.

[Jake]

There is a limit to crap like this, this steps over the line.  Employers should pay their employees the same unless one of them is a bad worker, in which case, they should be fired and replaced.

[A18]

Why should two people who do the same job get paid equally? Do we no longer have the right to spend our money freely in this 1984-esque totalitarian country?

Would you like to be the person who got paid less?

In a professional environment, employees effectively negotiate their own pay amounts, so the amounts do differ, even for the same job.  Employers generally like to keep them within a certain range, but I have conducted many such grueling negotiations with people I manage.

I can quit if I don't like it. It's the employer's business, not mine.

[dazzleman]

There is a limit to crap like this, this steps over the line.  Employers should pay their employees the same unless one of them is a bad worker, in which case, they should be fired and replaced.

The employees generally take care of this by knowing the going rate for their work, and insisting on being paid a competitive amount.

In a professional environment, good employees have a good deal of power.  I tell them that all the time.  By being productive, they deal themselves a strong hand of cards.

I don't think it should be regulated in any case.  Jake, you're sounding like a liberal these days, man.  What's up with that?

[A18]

You support anti- Civil Rights discrimination laws. So much for property rights.

[John Dibble]

As a matter of practicality, I'd pay people for the quality of their work. If you do the same job at the same level of productivity as someone else, I'd pay both of you the same.

Anyone other employers can determine their own policy.

[Jake]

I don't think it should be regulated in any case.  Jake, you're sounding like a liberal these days, man.  What's up with that?

My poetry project is infecting me with liberal thoughts, please ignore me

[dazzleman]

I don't think it should be regulated in any case.  Jake, you're sounding like a liberal these days, man.  What's up with that?

My poetry project is infecting me with liberal thoughts, please ignore me

I was starting to worry about you, dude.  I hope you're feeling OK.

[Jake]

I don't think it should be regulated in any case.  Jake, you're sounding like a liberal these days, man.  What's up with that?

My poetry project is infecting me with liberal thoughts, please ignore me

I was starting to worry about you, dude.  I hope you're feeling OK.

As soon as I get this multicultural, feel good about yourself BS over, then I'll return to normal.

[Alcon]

I'm quietly wondering what multicultural poetry has to do with liberal economic views. ;)

In any case, no. It depends on the quality of work, as stated here. If there was a clear pattern of a company paying black workers lower for the same job and some productivity, then there might be a problem.

[Jake]

I'm quietly wondering what multicultural poetry has to do with liberal economic views.

In any case, no. It depends on the quality of work, as stated here. If there was a clear pattern of a company paying black workers lower for the same job and some productivity, then there might be a problem.

It a real and growing threat Alcon, don't let in ensnare you. But anyway, liberal teachers that peddle multiculturalism should be lined up and shot.

[Nation]

Why should two people who do the same job get paid equally? Do we no longer have the right to spend our money freely in this 1984-esque totalitarian country?

Would you like to be the person who got paid less?

In a professional environment, employees effectively negotiate their own pay amounts, so the amounts do differ, even for the same job.  Employers generally like to keep them within a certain range, but I have conducted many such grueling negotiations with people I manage.

I can quit if I don't like it. It's the employer's business, not mine.

Philip, I've noticed a trend with you when it comes to these kinds of issues -- if your employer pays you a significantly lesser amount of money for no reason, you can quit and easily find a new job. If you can no longer find a decent job in that area, you can move. If your new employer does the same thing, you can quit.

A person can't keep quitting jobs and moving when they're treated unfairly -- there needs to be a merit-based system in regards to getting paid.

[dazzleman]

Why should two people who do the same job get paid equally? Do we no longer have the right to spend our money freely in this 1984-esque totalitarian country?

Would you like to be the person who got paid less?

In a professional environment, employees effectively negotiate their own pay amounts, so the amounts do differ, even for the same job.  Employers generally like to keep them within a certain range, but I have conducted many such grueling negotiations with people I manage.

I can quit if I don't like it. It's the employer's business, not mine.

Philip, I've noticed a trend with you when it comes to these kinds of issues -- if your employer pays you a significantly lesser amount of money for no reason, you can quit and easily find a new job. If you can no longer find a decent job in that area, you can move. If your new employer does the same thing, you can quit.

A person can't keep quitting jobs and moving when they're treated unfairly -- there needs to be a merit-based system in regards to getting paid.

Nation, while Philip's views are a little extreme, they more or less reflect reality.  Employee performance and productivity is often highly subjective, and my own personal experience is that employees who suck always think they're the best.  And when employer and employee disagree about levels of productivity and the resultant pay, the employee must leave if he's not happy, because the employer's not going anywhere.

Unions regulate these issues, to the overall detriment of workplace productivity and work environment, in my opinion.  Government intervention would be even worse in my opinion, if that's what you're suggesting.  So we're left with the system we have.

The reality is that it costs a lot of money to hire and train good employees.  It is in most companies' best interests to treat productive employees well, because it is usually more expensive to replace them.  As for bad employees who think they walk on water, companies are very happy to see them quit, rather than have to go through the trouble of firing them.  I've used sh***y compensation as a way to get rid of a poor performer more than once.

[Nation]

Yeah, I understand, especially the part about the bad employees who think they walk on water. I'm talking more about the complete absence of a merit system, rather than simple disagreements about productivity or what's right for the company, in an employee/employer argument (which, as you said, can still result in the employee having to leave).

[bullmoose88]

No...pay em according their marginal product.

[??????????]

Our company pays by the amount of work you do. If you can't work at the set average you will either, not get a raise, lose money, get written up, or if written up 3 times already, then fired. But anyways where I work most people get fired over using to much "sick" time.

[Beet]

No...pay em according their marginal product.

If their work is the same then their marginal product is the same as well since you don't "know" which one is the "last worker"... and it's impossible to know since each worker contributes exactly the marginal product of the last worker hired, assuming they do the same work.

[Filuwaúrdjan]

If two people do the same job they should be payed the same.

[bullmoose88]

No...pay em according their marginal product.

If their work is the same then their marginal product is the same as well since you don't "know" which one is the "last worker"... and it's impossible to know since each worker contributes exactly the marginal product of the last worker hired, assuming they do the same work.

Not necessarily.

Assuming the amount of capital remains the same, and I don't hire two workers at the same time, then the worker hired later will (in all probability) have a lower marginal product.

Now you'll say, both workers could be equally productive, and worker B (the one hired later) could be as productive as A if hired first.

And I'll agree fully...but then theres the whole seniority argument that could be brought into play...plus the fact that as a business owner, I'm not concerned so much with paying people the same...as long as they're willing to work for what I will pay, then I'm in the business of making a profit...not paying people equally.

[Ebowed]

There is a limit to crap like this, this steps over the line.  Employers should pay their employees the same unless one of them is a bad worker, in which case, they should be fired and replaced.

Jake's 100% correct here.