A woman has sparked viral outrage after revealing that her male coworker makes $18,000 more than her despite holding the same role.
The Redditor, u/topplethiscake, shared her shock in a post that quickly gained more than 11,000 upvotes in the subreddit “TwoXChromosomes.”
She explained that she made the discovery after a casual conversation with her coworker.
“Yesterday we were talking about the new hire posting and he mentioned he was curious what they were offering since ‘it might be more than what we make.’ I said yeah probably knowing this company. and he just casually says ‘well I’m at 82 so if it’s more than that I might apply.’ I had to excuse myself to the bathroom because I felt like I was gonna throw up,” she wrote.
In her post, u/topplethiscake described how she learned that her company was hiring for the same position in another location, offering a salary range of $72,000 to $90,000. She currently earns $64,000, despite being with the company for four years.
She claimed she had trained the coworker in question, who started six months after her, and had even seen her own superior performance reviews by accident. She said she felt “stupid and angry” after realizing the gap, explaining that she had previously asked for a raise and was told there were “budget constraints.”
The Redditor said she went home and cried, adding that her boyfriend urged her to go to HR, though she feared potential retaliation.
She wrote that the $18,000 difference represented money she could have used toward essential expenses like rent, groceries, or therapy.
“I actually liked working here until yesterday and now I feel so stupid and angry and I don’t know if I’m overreacting,” she concluded.
Expert Weighs In
Employment attorney Nancy Yaffe of Fox Rothschild LLP told Newsweek that while the experience resonated with her own early-career struggles, laws protecting employees have come a long way.
She recalled discovering, in 1987, that she was paid less than a man she replaced at a major television network. After asking HR about the disparity, she was chastised by her boss and never received a follow-up from the company.
Yaffe said that today, employees—especially in California—have far more rights and transparency. Under California’s Equal Pay Law (Labor Code Section 1197.5), employees can discuss pay openly and cannot be retaliated against for doing so. Pay disparities must now be based on legitimate factors such as seniority, merit, or experience.
She explained that pay differences can indicate discrimination, and employees have the right to raise concerns with HR. If HR cannot provide a clear explanation, Yaffe said workers can file a claim with the labor commissioner or contact an attorney.
While she primarily advises employers, Yaffe said that “there is almost always a legitimate reason for what the employee believes to be a pay disparity,” such as experience or specialized skills. However, she emphasized that employees are now entitled to know what that reason is—and if one doesn’t exist, they may be owed a raise or back pay.
New salary transparency laws, she added, are also reshaping how workplaces function by preventing bias and encouraging fairness.
Yaffe reflected on the emotional toll of discovering pay inequity. “Well, I still remember this issue from 38 years ago. It made me feel under-valued and taken advantage of. It actually still makes me mad. No one wants to be paid less for doing the same job as someone else, when the only difference they understand is their sex, race, or other protected characteristic. And unhappy employees lead to more legal claims of all types. Plus, in a competitive labor market, unhappy employees are not good business,” she said.
She also offered advice to workers, particularly women, on how to negotiate more effectively. Employers can no longer ask candidates what they previously earned—only their target compensation—reducing the risk of perpetuating historic pay gaps.
“Pay equity is a hot issue in California, and employees have more protections now than ever before,” she said. “So, if you think someone else is making more, ask about it. See what your employer says. Give them a chance to explain it. And if they don’t, then you have tools to push back.”
Reddit Responds
Thousands of Reddit users flooded the comments to express outrage and support.
“The only way to get the current market rate is to get a different job. The days of working hard and getting ahead at one place are dead and gone,” said one user.
“Yeah, unfortunately OPs story is insanely common for men and women these days. Then when OP leaves the company is going to have to hire someone for 20k more than what they were paying her to do a worse job, instead of paying her accordingly. OP get on Indeed yesterday,” shared another.
Others reflected on their own disillusionment with workplace inequity.
“This whole discussion is depressing. I am the opposite of pushy and have spent my whole life giving 110 percent while being grateful for whatever they decided to give me. Ugh I do not like society,” wrote one commenter.
One user offered a story of hope, sharing that they too discovered a male colleague earning significantly more:
“Girl, I was in the same boat with you, I just didn’t know it. I started quietly looking for a new position… Ended up getting recruited with a position custom created for me that put me at 40k more than I was making. Last day of work, my male colleague… dropped that he made $20k more than me. Solidified my decision to leave.”
Newsweek reached out to u/topplethiscake for comment via Reddit. We could not verify the details of the case.
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