How are they justifying this? Will you be getting a big fat raise soon?

Nope. Simply an opportunity she is interested in, and she is currently a manager and the opportunity is for analyst-level. But her current salary falls within the range established for this analyst role. Hers is just very near the top of the range.

Sounds you could make yourself an excellent case for a raise right now.

This would bother me immensely and I wouldn't be able to do the interview because of it. You're a bigger bunny than me tr33.

I'm gonna send your bosses "pay tr33 more" thoughts. Lemme know if it works out.

POssible interview questions:

"Please tell me where you see yourself in twenty years, and I'll tell you how I see myself with twenty thousand dollars."

"What would you say is your greatest strength, aside from your vastly disproportionate salary?"

"Tell me about a situation where you regularly bought all of your colleagues lunch."

"Would you say that someone who earns significantly more than others in the same job description could be fairly expected to do significantly more work? How are weekends and holidays for you?"

It would certainly bother me. I think you need to ask for a raise.

I'm guessing you work for some public institution, where certain job titles have a set-in-stone pay scale, and that the pay scale can never be violated or else the metaphorical walls of the institution will verily come tumbling down.

I've worked for those people before too, and it sucketh.

LOL Miko!

Jeez, you need a raise.

yeah the situation is a bitch, but if she is good for the job/project she should have the job, and if she is good then having her is an asset and one you wouldn't have if she had to take a 20k hit. Still I understand how you feel.