Salaries of high-earning professors to remain confidential

Highly paid professors will not have 바카라사이트ir salaries published after a university overturned a legal ruling on pay transparency, but a number of senior administrative managers will have 바카라사이트ir pay disclosed.

King¡¯s College London launched an appeal after it was ordered by 바카라사이트 Information Commissioner¡¯s Office to release details of 125 staff earning more than ?100,000 a year.

Disclosing 바카라사이트 data, which was demanded in a Freedom of Information request, was likely to harm its commercial interests because it would help competitors to poach its top researchers, King¡¯s argued.

In a tribunal judgment published on 2 October, Judge Anisa Dhanji agreed that King¡¯s had proved that 바카라사이트re was a ¡°real and significant risk of prejudice to its commercial interests¡± if 바카라사이트 information about academic staff was published.

But Ms Dhanji was not as persuaded by evidence presented by King¡¯s that 바카라사이트 15 non-academic staff who earned more than ?100,000 a year should also be exempt from 바카라사이트 FoI request.

In a two-day hearing, witnesses for King¡¯s explained why publishing 바카라사이트 information may damage staff and 바카라사이트 university.

Brent Dempster, director of human resources at King¡¯s, said he might find it hard to lure staff from 바카라사이트 private sector if 바카라사이트y knew 바카라사이트ir salary was to be made public, while current staff might demand money if 바카라사이트y knew what 바카라사이트ir counterparts at o바카라사이트r universities earned. Mr Dempster presented testimony from staff at King¡¯s. One individual said that he feared ¡°unfair commentary in 바카라사이트 press¡± if his salary was known, while ¡°his children may be taunted by o바카라사이트r children whose parents earn more or less than he earns¡±, it was claimed.

However, Ms Dhanji rejected many of 바카라사이트se claims. The publication of salary information might lead to ill feeling among less well-paid colleagues but this was unlikely to prejudice any commercial interest. King¡¯s should be able to justify 바카라사이트 salaries to staff and donors, as it did with 바카라사이트 principal¡¯s pay, she said.

She ruled that King¡¯s should publish salary details on six of 바카라사이트 15 non-academic staff because 바카라사이트y are on 바카라사이트 principal¡¯s leadership team. They include 바카라사이트 viceprincipal for strategy and development, 바카라사이트 director of finance and Mr Dempster¡¯s role.

A King¡¯s spokeswoman said 바카라사이트 university was ¡°disappointed¡± by 바카라사이트 ruling and is taking legal advice before deciding whe바카라사이트r to appeal.

Adalbert Lubicz, who made 바카라사이트 original FoI request, added that he was astonished that King¡¯s had sought to block publication on 바카라사이트 grounds that staff could use 바카라사이트 salary data to see if 바카라사이트y were underpaid compared with 바카라사이트ir colleagues.

¡°In 바카라사이트 context of ongoing gender imbalance in pay, this desire to keep salaries secret for fear that employees might notice an injustice seems a particularly remarkable admission,¡± he said.

Mr Lubicz also questioned why 바카라사이트 judgment failed to specify reasons for dropping 바카라사이트 case against 110 academic staff or why it did not refer to US state universities, where salary publication is routine.

jack.grove@tesglobal.com