WHAT IS PAY EQUITY?
Pay equity is the concept that jobs with equal responsibilities and requirements should offer equal compensation.
WHY DOES IT MATTER?
Job offers based on salary history often do not accurately reflect applicants’ qualifications and capabilities or industry standards for similar positions.
Asking a worker about their salary and relying upon that information when making a job offer can perpetuate any previous disadvantages that worker experienced in the market.
When employers factor salary history into the hiring process,
it disproportionately affects women, people of color and those who have been historically underpaid due to discrimination or other reasons.
SUMMARY OF LEGISLATION
The Ban on Salary History Inquiries prohibits Columbus employers from inquiring about a job applicant’s current or previous salary, beginning March 1, 2024. If salary history information is offered, employers may not rely solely on that information when making a job offer.
This legislation prevents employers from unfairly considering factors such as historical inequalities and biases in hiring decisions. It encourages employers to extend job offers based upon what the job seeker is worth today rather than the amount at which they’ve been valued in the past or the lowest amount at which the employer can secure a worker to fill a particular role.
This legislation applies to all employers headquartered in Columbus or with a Columbus office, or to any position for which the majority of work will occur in Columbus.
WHAT DOES THIS MEAN FOR EMPLOYERS?
Columbus employers shall not:
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Inquire about salary history
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Screen applicants based on their current or prior wages, benefits or other compensation
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Rely on an applicant’s salary history to determine compensation and contracts
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Refuse to hire or otherwise disfavor an applicant for not disclosing salary history
WHAT DOES THIS MEAN FOR EMPLOYEES?
A potential employer should never ask about your salary history if you are covered under this legislation. If asked about your salary history, you may:
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Refuse to disclose your past wages, benefits or other compensation to the employer without retaliation
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File a complaint with the community relations commission within six months of the alleged unlawful discriminatory practice
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
