A lot of employees believe talking about their salary is against the rules. In California, it’s actually your right.
Under California law (Labor Code section 232), your employer cannot require you to keep your wages secret, force you to sign away the right to talk about them, or fire, discipline, or retaliate against you for disclosing what you earn. The same protection covers discussing your working conditions.
You also have the right to ask about and discuss your coworkers’ pay. California’s Equal Pay Act protects those conversations, because comparing notes is often how employees discover they’re being paid unfairly.
Why it matters: pay secrecy is how unequal pay stays hidden. Openly talking about wages is frequently the first step to uncovering discrimination or a pay gap, and the law is on your side when you do.
If you were written up, demoted, or fired for discussing your pay, that may be unlawful. At Grochow Law, we help California employees understand and protect their workplace rights.
This post is general information, not legal advice, and doesn’t create an attorney-client relationship. Every situation is different, so reach out if you’d like us to look at yours.
