so my company just rolled out "global compensation bands" and I finally saw what my US teammates make for the same exact role. $120K. I make $40K
same title. same team. same standups, same sprints, same quarterly targets. my manager literally told me last month I was one of the highest performers on the team. top performer at a third of the pay
their justification is "cost of living adjustment" which is corporate speak for "we checked what your neighbors earn and matched that instead of paying you for your output"
and ok sure, $40K goes further where I live. but that's MY advantage from choosing to live here. they're not adjusting for cost of living out of generosity – they're using it to pay less for identical deliverables
what really got to me was the contractor rates. US freelancers doing the exact same work? $85-100/hr. i'm at $20/hr equivalent on salary. same code, same clients, same deadlines. but because i'm on payroll in south america i'm apparently worth a quarter of what a freelancer in Austin is
brought it up with my manager. got the most rehearsed answer I've ever heard. "I understand your frustration but compensation is determined at the corporate level and reflects local market conditions." might as well have been reading from a card
i'm not quitting because i need the money. but every standup where i see their faces knowing what they take home is a different experience now