Dear Prudence,
My husband and I are employees at the same small school. His superior left a few months ago, and my husband inherited his duties. He requested a raise from our new director but was denied. We all just received our new contracts for the next school year and were told all increases were 2 percent or lower for all staff. My husband’s increase was exactly 2 percent. Mine was 5 percent. I don’t know what to do, as I signed and turned in the contract before doing the math. We have completely new staff in our business office and HR, so I believe the 5 percent was meant for him and they mixed us up, since we have the same last name. The only reason I’m hesitant to say anything is that, since I make more than him to start with, a 5 percent increase in my salary is more than a 5 percent increase in his, and we could use the money. (Who couldn’t?) Ethically, I should tell someone, right? Does it make me a terrible person that I haven’t yet?
—Contract Discrepancies