The kids are alright with sharing their salaries; what's an employer to do?

Preventing employees from discussing their compensation with co-workers (or punishing them for doing so) violates federal labor law--even in nonunion workplaces.

Talking about how much you earn used to be considered taboo, both at work and in social settings. That's changing.

Some cities and states have already passed laws that require employers to disclose starting pay to applicants. And the National Labor Relations Board takes the position that preventing employees from discussing compensation with co-workers (or punishing them for doing so) violates federal labor law--even in nonunion workplaces.

Among federal contractors, an executive order forbids employers from interfering with employees' right to discuss compensation or disclose how much they are paid.

Who's spilling the beans? Your youngest workers are the most open to discussing pay with their peers.

According to a Bankrate.com survey of 2,500 adults, 42% of workers ages 18-25 (generation Z) and 40% of workers ages 26-41 (millennials) admitted to having shared their salary information either with co-workers or friends. In contrast, just 19% of Boomers admitted to revealing how much they're paid.

Underpaid or underinformed? Of course, employees talking about pay doesn't mean they know what they're talking about.

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