This is an interesting take on Facebook’s recent update on their WFH policies. Setting salaries based on where you live isn’t new, it’s a thing that is common today yet this author (and few others she quotes) concludes its bad.

I think this is going to be unavoidable. Cost of living should be added as part of your salary package — and by design that could be higher or lower based on where you decide to work. For example: If you live in SFO, it will be high but if you decide to live in Montana, it will be significantly lower.

It will also be important and key to highlight the difference in employee’s compensation package and if possible show the median value so employee’s feel confident about their salary.

That said, if location becomes a factor in employee’s performance reviews and promotions, then that is not acceptable and is “barbaric”. For example: “only if John Doe worked here in the campus, he would have been promoted now!”. Without knowing that, it is too early to conclude Facebook policy is “barbaric”.