Everyone at my brand-new job got a pay rise, except me. When can I ask for one? (2024)

Each week, Dr Kirstin Ferguson tackles questions on the workplace, career and leadership in her advice column “Got a Minute?” This week: a pay rise request straight off probation, support for mental health conditions and a leadership team that’s been completely replaced.

I have been in my new job for eight months, six months of which was a probation period. In my fourth month at the company, everyone (except me) received a 5 per cent pay increase based on a new enterprise agreement that came into effect. When I asked why I didn’t get the increase, HR said it had already been factored in when my pay was agreed during the employment process. Nothing was written to say that in the contract, and I could do with any extra dollars. Should I ask about it again?

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Let’s assume what HR has told you is true, and they simply started paying you at the rate that was about to be required under the new EBA (and to be honest, I don’t see why HR would be untruthful about this since you would be able to check fairly easily), then you have actually been receiving a 5 per cent higher rate of pay than everyone else for four months. This is a good thing and something I would focus on. You have actually done better than others, not worse.

Honestly, I would try to be happy with that and now wait for the next review. You really haven’t been in the job long, and you are only two months off probation. The reality is you are going to need to spend longer doing an outstanding job in the role before asking for a pay increase, and for me, that is minimum period of at least a year.

Are there job-seeking services for people who have a diagnosed mental health condition yet do not meet the Disability Employment Services eligibility threshold, and do not receive government benefits or income support? I identify as having a mental health condition, and am also from a multicultural background. In past employment, dealing with work issues could trigger significant anxiety and depression, but I didn’t realise I had a mental health condition at the time. To re-enter the workforce, having support to find employment that suits my abilities would be beneficial.

It is terrific that you have thought about how to manage your mental health and your return to work to avoid triggering the issues you have faced in the past. I am sure the right opportunity will be available to you, once you find it, and you will be well armed to care for your health when you do.

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Depending on where you live, your state government is most likely to offer a range of employment services to assist you to re-enter the workforce. As you are from a multicultural background you could try Multicultural Australia who have a range of job programs, and so do SSI and APM Employment Services. Glow Up Careers offers free career coaching to those facing barriers to work, so you might like to get in touch with them and see how they can help. The Black Dog Institute have different online programs to help you manage your mental health when you do return to the workforce, and you mentioned you are not eligible for disability services, it may still be worth contacting a service like Job Access or WISE Employment to see what services they recommend.

I work for a small team in a large state government department. A few months ago, our senior manager was asked to go on a secondment, and a quite inexperienced junior manager was acted up. In the following weeks, the whole executive management team was replaced by new managers who are continually in breach of workplace policies. The union has been involved and has described their conduct as extreme and unprecedented. Despite complaints and industrial action, the behaviour continues and those of us who haven’t left are feeling increasingly stressed. Do you have any suggestions?

This sounds like a very strange situation, and I can’t help but think there is something happening in the background you may not be aware of. It otherwise doesn’t make much sense since entire leadership teams are generally not replaced unless there has been a major issue that needs to be addressed.

Given you have already made complaints, and involved your union, and still nothing has changed, it sounds like you are running out of options. You said the managers are breaching policies and the code of ethics - if that is the case, you could make a whistleblower complaint through your department processes or bring it to the attention of more senior leaders to investigate.

To submit a question about work, careers or leadership, visit kirstinferguson.com/ask (you will not be asked to provide your name or any identifying information. Letters may be edited).

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