{"id":"hr-reply-pay-question-no-comparisons","audience":"hr","category":"people-work","track":"people","level":"intermediate","technique":"tone","title":"Reply to a pay question without sharing anyone else's pay","free":false,"task":"Reply to Nadia in plain text, under 130 words. First line exactly: Subject: Re: My pay band question. Explain, using only the process notes, how pay bands and reviews work and what she can do next (book a conversation with her manager and ask for a band review in the HR portal). Do not share or confirm anything about any coworker's pay. Do not promise a raise. Last line exactly: Best, Joan (People Team). HR reviews before sending.","materialLabel":"Her email and the process notes (attached to your prompt automatically)","material":"Email from Nadia Kruger, Marketing Specialist (Nov 6): \"Hi Joan, I heard from a friend on the team that a new hire, Sam, makes $6,000 more than I do for the same role. Is that true? Why? I've been here 3 years. I want to be paid fairly.\"\n\nProcess notes\n- Each role has a pay band, reviewed every July. New hires are placed in the band based on experience and market data at the time of hire.\n- Employees can ask for a band review any time by submitting the Pay Review form in the HR portal; the People Team checks the role's band and the employee's experience, and replies within 15 business days.\n- Pay for individual employees is confidential; People Team does not confirm or deny other employees' pay.\n- Employees may discuss their own pay with anyone.\n\nInternal (do not share): Sam was hired at a higher point in the band because the market for the role moved up in September. Nadia's band is under review for this reason; the result is not decided. Her raise this July was 4%.","rules":[{"type":"maxWords","max":160},{"type":"plainText"}],"mistakes":[{"title":"Confirming the gap","why":"The AI says 'Sam was hired higher because of market changes'.","fix":"Say: \"Do not share or confirm anything about coworkers' pay.\"","checks":["r2"]},{"title":"Promising a raise","why":"The AI says 'we'll fix this'.","fix":"Say: \"Do not promise a raise.\"","checks":["r2"]},{"title":"Missing the process","why":"The AI gives general reassurance.","fix":"Say: \"Explain how bands, July reviews and the Pay Review form work.\"","checks":["r1"]},{"title":"Exact lines","why":"The AI writes its own subject and sign-off.","fix":"Say: \"First and last lines exactly as given.\"","checks":["r0"]},{"title":"Trusting the AI to count words","why":"AI is bad at counting. Ask for a total word limit and it often lands over it.","fix":"Cap each part instead, for example: \"each line under 15 words.\"","checks":["maxWords"]},{"title":"Markdown","why":"The AI bolds words or adds headings.","fix":"Say: \"Plain text, no bold, no headings.\"","checks":["plainText"]}],"promptHints":[{"label":"Exact lines","patterns":["subject: re: my pay band","best, joan"]},{"label":"Process notes only","patterns":["process notes","only"]},{"label":"Coworker's pay","patterns":["coworker","confirm"]},{"label":"No promise","patterns":["do not promise"]},{"label":"Word cap","patterns":["under \\d+ words"]}],"hint":"Give the exact lines, the process steps to cover, and what not to confirm or promise.","mission":"Answer Nadia's pay band question without sharing anyone's pay.","musts":["No coworker pay info","No raise promise","Next steps from notes"],"rubricLabels":["The first line is exactly \"Subject: Re: My pay band question\" and the last line is exactly \"Best, Joan (People Team)\"","Explains the pay band, July reviews and the Pay Review form in the HR portal with the reply within 15 business days, and suggests booking a conversation with her manager","Neither confirms nor denies Sam's pay (and does not mention internal information on market movement or the band review), makes no promise of a raise, and says individual pay is confidential"]}