More U.S. states are making employers say how much they pay

A peculiar convention of getting hired in the U.S. is that a question job seekers may want to ask first is often addressed last: How much does the job actually pay? In the working world, it remains common for employers to keep that vital information under wraps, keeping applicants in the dark while giving hiring managers a competitive advantage in setting pay.

Now, a growing number of U.S. states are moving to shed light on the issue of starting salaries. New laws are requiring companies to disclose the pay range in job postings and on their websites. The rules represent a growing push for more transparency on compensation and aim to even the bargaining power between employers and employees, empowering workers while also narrowing long-standing pay gaps for women and people of color.

In California, under a law signed last week by Gov. Gavin Newsom that takes effect January 1, 2023, companies with more than 15 employees must include salary ranges for jobs and share the same information with current employees. In New York, a law requiring private-sector employers to disclose salary ranges in job postings awaits Gov. Kathy Hochul's signature. And Colorado, Connecticut, Maryland, Nevada, Rhode Island and Washington have enacted their own pay transparency laws.