ortary's journey

I recently gave my notice at my current job, and now I'm facing a really uncomfortable situation. My boss, who is the marketing director, has expressed an intention to call my new employer to complain about my salary, claiming that they are overpaying me and disrupting the market. This all started when my colleague was negotiating for a new position, and during that conversation, my boss randomly brought me up, saying that my upcoming salary isn't normal and that she might reach out to HR to intervene. This has left me feeling completely freaked out. I've learned from private discussions that many people across different departments are aware of what my new company pays, which is why I applied there in the first place. The new company is one of the top 20 largest FMCG companies in the world, and I was excited about the opportunity. Currently, I'm going through background screenings and health checks for the new job while they prepare my contract, which I expect to sign on my first day. I'm in Europe, where it's actually protected by law to discuss salaries, so I'm trying to remind myself of my rights in this situation. I'm just terrified about what my old boss might do and how it could affect my new job. I've received some advice from friends and colleagues, suggesting that any manager who gets a call from my old boss will likely see her as unprofessional. Still, the uncertainty is really weighing on me.

I recently gave my notice as a Brand Manager at an FMCG company, and things took a surprising turn. After sharing my new job details with my colleagues, our department director confronted me, accusing me of intentionally disclosing my salary and causing turmoil within the team. To provide some context, there are five of us Brand Managers who started around the same time, and we’ve built a close friendship. A month ago, during a casual outing, one of our former coworkers mentioned her new job offer, including her salary. Coincidentally, I had also applied for a similar position at the same company and used her salary as a benchmark for my negotiations. When I informed my current team about my departure, I mentioned that my new salary was similar to what she had shared. However, it seems my friend inadvertently disclosed my salary during a conversation with our manager, which led to the director's outburst. She called me out of the blue, expressing her frustration and implying that I was trying to sabotage the team. I felt completely blindsided, especially since I never intended to create any issues. I tried to explain that I hadn’t disclosed my salary intentionally and that the conversation stemmed from my friend's mistake. It’s disheartening because I know my coworkers have been grappling with salary discussions for years, and I only learned about my own underpayment through these conversations. While I understand the sensitivity around salary discussions, I didn’t expect such a severe reaction from the director, especially since discussing salaries is actually protected by law in my country. I’m left feeling upset and frustrated, questioning whether I did anything wrong. It feels like the management is more concerned about maintaining the status quo than addressing fair compensation. I’m seeking some outside perspective on this situation. Did I really do something wrong, or is the director’s reaction completely unwarranted?