The bill increases pay transparency and protections for applicants and employees—helping identify and reduce pay disparities and improving hiring efficiency—while imposing compliance costs, greater litigation exposure (including for public agencies), and somewhat reducing employer flexibility in pay negotiations.
Employees (including people with disabilities) gain routine, clear pay information at hire and annually and explicit protections from retaliation for discussing pay, improving pay transparency and helping address pay disparities.
Job applicants are more likely to see salary information up front, reducing time wasted on mismatched expectations and improving job-search efficiency.
Workers harmed by violations can recover statutory or actual damages plus attorneys’ fees, creating stronger enforcement incentives for employer compliance.
Small businesses will face added compliance costs and could be fined up to $10,000 per violation, increasing operating costs and potentially affecting prices or hiring.
Public agencies and other employers face greater litigation exposure, including potential large damage awards and attorneys’ fees, which could strain state and local government budgets if lawsuits succeed.
Mandated disclosure of wage ranges could reduce employer flexibility to negotiate individualized compensation packages.
Based on analysis of 2 sections of legislative text.
Requires employers to disclose wage or wage ranges in job postings and to applicants and employees, bans retaliation, and creates civil penalties and private damages for violations.
Requires employers to disclose wages or wage ranges in job postings and to applicants and employees, bans retaliation for exercising these rights, and creates civil penalties and a private right of action for violations. Employers face fixed fines for violations, statutory or actual damages for affected individuals, attorneys’ fees, and injunctive relief.
Introduced March 10, 2025 by Eleanor Holmes Norton · Last progress March 10, 2025