Path: utzoo!attcan!uunet!lll-winken!lll-lcc!ames!pasteur!agate!unisoft!bridget@ucbvax.Berkeley.EDU
From: unisoft!bridget@ucbvax.Berkeley.EDU (Bridget Dobbins)
Newsgroups: comp.society.women
Subject: Re: Discrimination?
Message-ID: <12109@agate.BERKELEY.EDU>
Date: 12 Jul 88 22:25:10 GMT
References: <11732@agate.BERKELEY.EDU>
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Approved: skyler@violet.berkeley.edu (Moderator -- Trish Roberts)
Comments-to: comp-women-request@cs.purdue.edu
Submissions-to: comp-women@cs.purdue.edu


Jobs for the Federal Government and the state of California are salaried
according to a scale.  The scale is (roughly, if I remember right) 
GS-1 to GS-20 (or whatever), with a GS-20 having the highest salary.  
Each level encompasses both a salary range and educational
and/or skill requirements.  For example, you can't progress beyond GS-6 or
GS-7 unless you have a college degree.  There is nothing secretive about
this information -- you ought to be able to get guidelines from the
University personnel department.  If nothing else, contact your state
government; I'll bet the salary ranges and requirements are very close, 
if not identical.  

The idea behind this is laudable -- uniform wage/skill requirements across
a variety of positions make for fewer problems with charges of unfairness,
discrimination, etc.  The problem is that the GS ratings may be assigned by
bureaucrats with an insufficient understanding of the skills required.
In your case, "they" (used generically) may be able to point to differences
in job experience and background between you and your predecessor.  It may
be that your background in math is counted less heavily in their "formulas"
(which do exist, by the way) than the background of your predecessor.  

What I'm trying to say is that there may be discrimination, but it *may* 
be unintentional.  (It would be interesting and perhaps worthwhile to
find out whether you are the first woman to hold this position.)
You ought to be able to find out how your salary was arrived at.
(If your supervisor won't tell you, try the secretary of the person in
charge of the University's personnel department.  They're the ones who 
know the most, anyway.)  

Be careful how you handle this -- remember that loud charges of
discrimination mation may cause you problems in your graduate studies
(sorry, but we're talking real life here), and that documentation you
see on how your salary was calculated will emphasize education, background,
and experience.  If you want it changed, you're going to have to calmly,
clearly, and thoroughly document proof that your experience and background
warrants it (is *at least* equal to that of your predecessor).  

I hope this helps you out and good luck,

Bridget

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Bridget Dobbins				UniSoft Corporation
ucbvax!unisoft!bridget			Emeryville, CA