Quick note: in California wage secrecy is illegal.
Section 232 of The California Labor Code prohibits employers from:
* requiring as a condition of employment that any employee refrain from disclosing the amount of their wages [Section 232(a)];
* requiring an employee to sign a waiver of their right to disclose their wages [§232(b)]; or
* discharging, formally disciplining, or otherwise discriminating against an employee who discloses the amount of their wages [§232(c)].
However California is an at will state, you don't have to disclose why you fired someone. And I've been verbally informed at all of my jobs in California that I shouldn't disclose what I make. So in practice it seems that people are strongly encouraged to keep what they make secret.
Furthermore when I worked in New York I was informed that it was a legal requirement that I not disclose. And I have no reason to doubt that that was the law there.
You have a right to know why you're fired. You can't be fired for legally protected reasons. If you're fired for revealing your wage, your employer is in a lot of trouble.
Yes, you cannot be fired for legally protected reasons. Well, the company that fired you also knows that. So they come up with a reason that is not protected( "Does not fit well with the company culture"). The burden of proof is upon the ex-employee to show that they were let go for a protected reason(It is a very high burden).
Section 232 of The California Labor Code prohibits employers from: