Many employees work hard for years, hoping their dedication will pay off, but sometimes companies fail to recognize true loyalty. Finding out you’re the lowest paid despite years of experience can be a painful wake-up call about fairness and respect at work. One of our readers recently shared her story about facing this exact situation after discovering her paycheck didn’t match her commitment.
Nancy’s letter:
Dear,
I (36, F) have worked at my firm for 9 years—longer than anyone else there. I’ve always done the hardest work, stayed late when needed, and handled weekend calls whenever a deadline was near. I’ve poured my time, energy, and loyalty into the company, always making sure clients were happy.
But recently, I was shocked when I accidentally found out that I have the lowest salary in my team of 10. I confronted my boss, but he laughed and said, “You get what you ask for! They’re better negotiators!”
I just smiled and left his office.
The next day, everyone froze when I sent an email. I attached various job offers and messages from recruiters who’d been trying to hire me for years. I had been approached by several competitor firms, but always declined.
But now, I announced in the email that I’m giving my two weeks’ notice and leaving.
10 minutes later, HR called me in for an urgent meeting. My boss was there too, suddenly full of concern and apologies. They offered me a raise—one that would make me the highest-paid on the team. But it was too late.
I know they need me because many of their clients rely on me, so losing me would be a big problem for them. I told them my mind was made up. Still, I wonder—am I being too emotional? After 9 years of hard work, should I stay?
Am I making the wrong choice to leave?
Sincerely,
Nancy
It’s time to move on. You’ve discovered that they do not respect you and I will tell you that they never will until you leave.
I tell you this as a manager who has worked for companies like this in the past and had to fight tooth and nail to get my direct reports that they deserved. A company like this will always use you and drop you when you’re used up. Thank you so much for sharing your story with us, Nancy.
Your frustration is completely understandable—after nine years of dedication, finding out you’re the lowest paid on your team must have felt like a slap in the face.
Still, your next step matters a lot for your career and peace of mind. Here is our advice on how you could handle this situation:
Let your departure make a statement.
It would be considerable to stay, had they offered too compensate the afore mentioned years, at the amount of the raised wage.
The story doesn’t end here –
it continues on the next page.
TAP → NEXT PAGE → 👇
