For each business role, we have defined an overall wage range which is market-aligned and profitable for Cantilever, from the minimum we’d offer a qualified trainee to the maximum we could afford for the most senior expert. Each function’s salary range is then split into “Pay Tiers”, from L1 through L5.

During the hiring process and quarterly thereafter, managers should evaluate their direct reports against the Skills table in the relevant Role from the Roles Database. Managers should then determine the tier that the report falls into, then use their discretion to decide on a fair offer for the individual within the tier.

All wages are is computed for US W2 employees, and then adjusted to account for taxes in different locations. Our policy is to equalize the amount of money that leaves our bank account for any two employees paid at the same rate, regardless of location. For example, if a US W2 employee were to make a $50k salary, we would also have to pay the government about $4k in employer taxes. Since that is not the case for a Core Team member outside the US, we tack on the $4k we would have paid in the US so that our expenses are the same. This policy results in different take-home pay for different locations, which is reflective of local tax laws and wage volume, but is fair when it comes to the actual cost to Cantilever for team members at the same level of pay.

Shareholders have paid for their shares and are entitled to any profits from those shares regardless of other day-to-day compensation.

On a case-by-case basis, managers may invite some team members to purchase shares in the company, or to receive a part of their salary as stock. Once that stock is owned, dividends from that stock are not factored into ongoing compensation for regular daily work.

Executives such as the CEO may have their comp adjusted to account for the weight of their ownership stake and whether it is strategically preferential for them to take a lower salary to raise overall profits.

One of our values is Radical Candor, so we have decided to codify and publish our compensation publicly. Each team member’s pay tier (not their exact pay) is also visible to everyone else in the company in the Team Directory.

The wage matrix is in USD to ensure fairness between different locations. Actual payments are made to each team member in local currency based on their location. Payments should be converted to local currency at the time of payment.

Every quarterly review between you and your manager should involve some discussion of wages. If you ever feel underpaid (or if you are some kind of saint and feel overpaid), please speak up! The pay tiers will be reviewed and adjusted regularly to keep pace with inflation within the Remote Work labor market. Whenever we raise the pay tiers, you will get a small raise automatically in order to maintain your current position within the tier structure.

International team members are paid as contractors. Their wages are determined by the ladder, plus an additional 12% to cover the share of payroll taxes that would have been covered for them were they based in the US, plus their lack of sick leave/healthcare reimbursements. This equalizes their effective wage with a US-based colleague in the same pay tier.

Wages of team members in Denmark are determined by the same ladder, minus ∼14.5% that cover the benefits and the local taxes. Team Members that are residents in Denmark are paid in DKK. Denmark’s tax system is progressive, so there is no real fixed rate for the employees. Taxes are entirely dependent upon personal circumstances; some employees pay a higher tax rate, while others pay a lower rate. Compensation can therefore be adjusted based on the preferences of the employee. For example, it is very common for employees to choose a pension scheme over higher compensation.