You don't need to be an asshole.

First, I apologize for the reddit style. I deserve the down votes, which I will happily pay. Using a position of power to force employees to divulge personal information really pisses me off.

There are three companion posts to this one that you might want to read because they'll fill in some assumptions you're making. Primarily, for existing employees the program was opt-in, such that "[n]ot joining would mean that others won’t know about that person’s salary and that person wouldn’t have access to the salary list."

So that person then is forbidden from attending these meetings?

There are two problems with that:

1. Even if employees get to opt out, others still know they opted out. And that can create mistrust on both sides. "Why did Bob opt out? What does he have to hide? Is he making more than everyone else? Is this transparent salaries thing just a way to keep the lower paid people thinking they're actually average?"

2. By excluding those people from the salary meetings, the company basically creates an "in club", the people that know more than everyone else. The opt-out people are now no longer just opting-out, they are literally being kept in the dark about things being shared with others. And like in scenario 1, that will breed mistrust.

Does it change your mind knowing that it was not imposed from a position of power?

https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=12806739

Really? Or were some scared of being singled out? I have managed teams, asking 40 people a question will get you 40 different answers. But in this case they were all for it? Lies.

You'd make a good conspiracy theorist. You question & disbelieve everything even when faced with reasonable evidence.

Yes, maybe we don't actually know all the intricacies of what's going on, but you're just being a crank.

> It is usually defined in terms of your last salary, that is usually disclosed as a part of your background check.

This contradicts the claims of US being such a free and free market country... Sounds Kafkaesque. How does this background check really happen? Can't you deny the disclosure of your previous salary?

Background checks are usually related to confirming your education and past employment history and if you have any criminal history. Sometimes they want to know your credit score too which can be a problem for those with a streak of bad luck financially.

Yes you can deny disclosing your previous salary. Usually they will not ask for any official proof anyway so you could make it up or give your expectations.

Some companies ask for employment confirmation from your former employer. That can include salary information.

It can, but it's very rare. US companies of sufficient size[1], being lawsuit averse, will generally only confirm employment dates.

[1] That size usually being "big enough to have a dedicated HR department"