can new employer check what you earned

On a broader note, why mention your present pay anyway in negotiating with a prospective employer?

Why not just say "on the basis of my experience, I believe a salary of X is in order". What you end up with is subject to negotiation but you shouldn't need to disclose your salary to support what you think you can legitimately claim. The employer is either willing to pay X or he isn't. What you currently earn should be irrelevant.

santu said:

how to hide your previous PA salary which is 8K less then current new job? what should i do? pls advice!

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There is into on Revenue's web site on this. Somewhere.... Not the best search system in the world.

Basicly *you* send your P45 into Revenue, requesting your new Tax Cert be send to your new employer without your previous Pay and Tax. I think there is a form for this, but you should ring Revenue and ask. When they send the cert to your new employer they will but you on a Week/Month 1 Basis. This means your tax will be calculated Weekly/Monthly etc instead of yearly, so your previous pay and tax will figures are not required. At the start of next year you'll revert back to normal.

Towger.

Magoo, I totally agree with you. During a recent job search, I simply avoided answering that question by responding with 'what I'm looking for is .....'. If pushed I have stated that I believe the question to be irrelevant. Its all about having the confidence to declare your worth. I have mostly done negotiations through recuitment agencies so haven't often had to have this conversation with the employer.

Whilst in a perfect world we all want to have frank and open conversations with our employers and employees about pay and conditions, it is not always the case. Over the years I have learned to be ruthless (but pleasant) when it comes for asking for my 'worth'!

Even if you don't give your new employer your p45, once your previous employer gives your details to the revenue, your new employer can get them. The employer can also request a certificate of tax credits, not just the employee. I have done this on many occasions, not to find out what the person was earning, but I work in the construction industry, where most of our employees are paid net to gross, so it's in our best interests to make sure all of the information is correct.

All pay and tax details between an employee and Revenue are confidential, even from an employer. If Revenue are giving these details out to an employer without the employee's knowledge or consent, they are in breach of data protection laws. The procedure for keeping information from your employer is contained in the Employee's Guide to PAYE [broken link removed]

Regarding being asked your current/previous salary at interview, I read an interesting tip on a foreign job site. Simply tell them that your current/previous contract precludes you from discussing your salary with third parties. I think this would be a valid answer in Ireland as well.