Question

How does wage jealousy contribute to keeping salaries private?

Answer 1

Wage jealousy is very common in American culture. People use to keep their salary confidential due to many reasons as they feel inferior with their sorroundings.
According to a survey, 43% of married couples don't know their spouse’s salary. Most of the people don't discuss about their salaries with their friends or family or co-workers.
If someone make the salary of the employee in an organisation public by posting it, that is considered as an offense. But it’s all made by the public itself as the Federal law protects the right to discuss about the working conditions including salary.
So, it's only the jealousy which use to keep salary confidential.