Supplying salary details to potential employer.

I have received a provisional offer of employment from a third-level education institution.

I have been asked to fill in an online form asking for referee details, educational certs, etc.

The last item is a requirement to upload my last three payslips from my previous employer. This is to allow them to calculate the point on the pay scale that they're going to offer me. The pay scale has a €20k band.

Since I'm self-employed, it doesn't apply to me. I don't have any payslips. But, their system can't seem to cope with this fact. They then asked that I upload a tax return. Since my wife and I are taxed jointly, I said no.

I also teach one day a week during term time. For this I am taxed PAYE. I said I would upload my last three payslips and they could then upscale this single day salary accordingly and calculate an offer. They haven't rejected this, so I assume they'll take it.

Does anyone think it odd that a major institution should ask for payslips to help it calculate what to offer you? My accountant thinks that asking about previous income is bonkers and none of their business. He says they should table a salary offer based on what I brought to the interview, my CV and my experience and see if I accept it.

Any thoughts?

Thanks.

D.

Dinarius said:

Does anyone think it odd that a major institution should ask for payslips to help it calculate what to offer you?

Click to expand...

It's indeed very odd.

Dinarius said:

My accountant thinks that asking about previous income is bonkers and none of their business.

Click to expand...

He is 100% correct.

Dinarius said:

He says they should table a salary offer based on what I brought to the interview, my CV and my experience and see if I accept it.

Click to expand...

Likewise.

Dinarius said:

Any thoughts?

Click to expand...

They sound like a shower of clowns.

What did the job ad say about salary scales? There is usually a lot of fine print on this.

Often in the public sector you get the first point on the scale unless you are already on a higher salary elsewhere in the public sector.

A family member has similar experience moving from private sector pharma company to another pharma. HR department of new company insisted on evidence of previous salary. They objected numerous times but caved eventually. It is a bizarre request

I presumed that the norm is to start at the lowest point of the scale in the PS, unless you are an existing PS transferring to a different PS sector.

However, I had a quick look on http://www.publicjobs.ie (www.publicjobs.ie), picked Letterkenny ATU, and I see this advert for a lecturer.

"Candidates may be considered for incremental credit...for previous industry experience"

So I suppose if you argue to start at a higher point than point 1, the new employer might well look for proof.

In their defence then; if a candidate is coming from being on a given point of a public sector scale, they may simply be looking for proof of that to start them at the same level.

D.

If applicant had nothing to hide then why not share payslip but it still is not really an appropriate or even reasonable request.

If someone wanted to get a significantly higher salary in new role and misled them about prior salary then naturally they would not pander to this.

Protocol said:

So I suppose if you argue to start at a higher point than point 1, the new employer might well look for proof.

Click to expand...

Dinarius said:

In their defence then; if a candidate is coming from being on a given point of a public sector scale, they may simply be looking for proof of that to start them at the same level.

Click to expand...

A payslip wouldn't really prove anything in relation to salary scale though? Or would it?

My payslip states my annual salary.

I think it states the point on the payscale that I'm on, but maybe not. Even if it didn't, the annual figure stated on payslip could be compared to the published pay scales for my grade, to establish my point on scale.

Well, if the scale of the post they were offering was €35-50k, and the successful candidates existing salary was €42k, then they would want to start there, at least, no? To ensure increments started at the correct level too. Wouldn’t happen in the private sector, admittedly.

Is there a requirement to be transparent too, it being a publicly funded sector?

D.

Dinarius said:

Is there a requirement to be transparent too, it being a publicly funded sector?

Click to expand...

Why don’t you ask them?

In your shoes I would provide as much documentary evidence as possible to show your prior income in as positive a possible light. They will use this to put you in a matching point on the increment scale.

I know this mentality is considered alien but it’s completely ingrained in the public sector.

It’s not typical in the private sector, but I have seen it over the years. It kind of makes sense in certain industries for certain roles.

A company should be able to offer a candidate a salary based on background and experience without reference to the candidates salary history. The company should set out their salary range at the start of the process, so a candidate can know whether to apply or not. No point in applying for a job advertised at €50-€60K if you already earn €65K. This is respectful of the candidates time and they should only get applicants who want a job in that range with the ultimate salary negotiation based on the range advertised.

It is bananas to say to a candidate, we will base the salary offered on the basis of your last 3 payslips. So many red flags. Plus people expect to negotiate their starting salary not be told it will be x. Asking salary history is now illegal in several states in the US for very good reasons. And this legislation is coming to Ireland in 2026, the 7 June 2026.

“Employers will have to provide information about salary levels or ranges either in the job advertisement or in advance of the interview, without the candidate having to ask for it. Furthermore, employers will be prohibited from asking applicants about their own pay history'

Since you are being asked for payslips from a third level institute, which is probably funded, I would say to them; It is best practice not to ask for salary history and the government have already put in place legislation to make this illegal by June 2026. Given you know this change is coming why are you still asking these types of questions.

Most companies will have changed their practices long before the deadline.

Dr Strangelove said:

In your shoes I would provide as much documentary evidence as possible to show your prior income in as positive a possible light. They will use this to put you in a matching point on the increment scale.

Click to expand...

I beg to differ.

There is no circumstance in which an employee should be requested by their current or prospective employer to furnish copies of their prior tax returns, as was done here.

The privacy implications are enormous.

T McGibney said:

The privacy implications are enormous.

Click to expand...

So the OP should refuse on a point of principle here and receive a lower salary?

They appear to be using your existing salary as an anchor.

When I started working with Zurich Life, my starting salary was £11,000. A lad joined from Irish Life soon after with 2 years experience. Irish Life were notorious bad payers and he was on £7,000 there. Zurich offered him £10,000 and he was delighted with the pay rise. It was only a bit later that he found out he was getting paid less than people with zero experience.

If they have their scale, they should pay you based on what they think you are worth and not use your existing salary as an anchor. Tell them you are happy to disclose your earnings but you do not wish for it to be used as a basis for your future salary and so to put the salary offer in writing to you before you provide them with your financial information.

It's very bizarre and in a lot of cases, it's probably in breech of a current employment contract (not in this case). They also have no way of checking what you give them is correct, it would take a few seconds for an AI tool to produce a draft pay slip which you could adjust and tidy up if needed.

Dr Strangelove said:

So the OP should refuse on a point of principle here and receive a lower salary?

Click to expand...

They can presumably make up their own mind on what to do.

If anyone is shortchanged on salary or otherwise discriminated against on foot of refusing to divulge the contents of historic tax returns or other confidential information which their employer has no right to demand, they presumably have remedies available to them.

There could be all sorts of stuff on a payslip that it isn’t necessary or appropriate to share. Likewise on a tax statement,

Seems like someone devised a process for one type of new joiner, moving from another institution, and applied to all.

People often exaggerate their current pay (or lie) to negotiate when starting a new job. The negotiation band here seems to be €20k which is a fairly large band.

When joining a new company I know you’ll have to hand over tax documents which will reveal your old pay anyway but they go to payroll department not to your new boss. (Unless you are applying for a job in the payroll department j

I’d give them a redacted statement, whichever one suits your purposes best, ie highest pay.

Annieindublin said:

When joining a new company I know you’ll have to hand over tax documents which will reveal your old pay anyway but they go to payroll department not to your new boss.

Click to expand...

Not any more you don't.

The burden is now on the employee to arrange their tax credit and band entitlements directly with Revenue.