'My boss accidentally sent me a spreadsheet with everyone's salaries': Employee stunned to discover they're making $15k less than coworker with the same job

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Remy Millisky • Writer and Editor
Oct 20, 2025 11:00 AM EDT

Did this boss do his employee a favor by sending them a spreadsheet with everyone's salaries, or is he pushing them out the door? That's the question this person now has to parse before they make their next move! 

Do you and your coworkers discuss your salaries together? I think many people know they're supposed to do that in order to make sure they're getting paid fairly. But the question can still feel so taboo that most people don't ask it. This person now knows everyone's salary at their company because shockingly, their boss literally sent them a spreadsheet with said salaries. 

This is an interesting case. How did the boss have access to that in the first place? Isn't HR usually in charge of that kind of thing? So to start, that's suspicious. Then, there's the intention behind such an act. This person is having to ask themself what their manager meant by providing them with this information. If I had to guess, I'd say that their boss realized that the new hire was making more than them, as well as the person who does the same job and makes more money, so the boss "accidentally" let them know about it. Maybe he's righting a wrong in the only way he knows how. 

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  • This person knows their boss, though, and obviously we don't. They assumed that the boss wants them out of there because they're only getting a 2% raise each year, while the newcomers are raking in bigger salaries. Commenters assured them to assume that their boss is trying to help them out. Whether he wants them there or not, at least they now know the worth of their job. 

  • 01
    Cheezburger Image 10565348096
    via Getty Images For Unsplash+

    The image does not depict the actual subjects of the story. Subjects are models.

  • 02
    Boss meant to send me a different file but instead I got the master salary spreadsheet for our whole department.
    via u/Excaliblarg
  • 03
    Turns out I'm making 15k less than my coworker who does the exact same job. We were hired within months of each other and have similar experience.
    via u/Excaliblarg
  • 04
    The new guy who started last year? He's making more than me too. I've been here 2 years and got "great reviews" every time.
    via u/Excaliblarg
  • 05
    Apparently that translated to 2% raises while they're bringing people in at way higher rates. Not sure what to do with this info but I'm definitely not
    via u/Excaliblarg
  • 06
    forgetting what I saw. Time to update the resume I guess.
    via u/Excaliblarg
  • 07
    tdom... Are you sure your boss wasn't trying to help you out?
    via u/tdomman
  • 08
    TrainDo... You and your co- workers should have been speaking openly about your salaries all along.
    via u/TrainDonutBBQ
  • 09
    From now on, you should do that. Begin looking for a new job, demand a raise. Quit if you don't get one.
    via u/TrainDonutBBQ
  • 10
    GFTRGC Non-zero chance your boss did this as a favor to you so maybe don't throw him under the bus about this
    via u/GFTRGC
  • 11
    spreadsheet when you start negotiating. I'd go to him privately and ask politely for a salary adjustment
    via u/GFTRGC
  • 12
    to catch you up to your peers, this is called a true up and happens fairly frequently, the thing is, that most companies won't
    via u/GFTRGC
  • 13
    allow managers to request this unless an employee asks... so you need to ask. After you ask, your manager can request it for you.
    via u/GFTRGC
  • 14
    I'd start there before updating your resume and starting to leave.
    via u/GFTRGC
  • 15
    Cheezburger Image 10565347840
    via Getty Images For Unsplash+

    The image does not depict the actual subjects of the story. Subjects are models.

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salary boss workplace-stories jobs job salaries bosses work coworkers spreadsheet workplace money
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