New York City has passed one of the mind-bending laws that requires employers to be clear about their pay in job advertisements. This will push better pay for women and people of color when looking for job opportunities. One restaurant worker said, “You’re put in a really challenging position of not wanting to upset your employer and not wanting to scare away an opportunity, but also wanting to fight for what you know is what you deserve.”
At least seven states have demanded for clear information about their wages in the past couple of years. The law states that in any form of job notice, the company must provide a clear salary for both minimum and maximum wages. There is no limit on how much the range could be, but studies have shown that women are making less money in comparison to men in all industries.
There are two sides to this. Some employers have already contributed to providing clear pay, but there are others who do not want to provide the pay on the bulletin board for other reasons.
Mayor Eric Adams said, “To publicly put salaries of small, minority-and-women-owned businesses gives a stigma that we are not competitive.”
Nonprofit organization consultant Yolanda F. Johnson presses on companies to raise their budgets instead of cutting the wages from their workers. She said, “If you think people are going to pass you by, there are lots of different things to have in place to be a successful nonprofit where, in turn, you can pay people equitably.”
Ian Carleton Schaefer, a New York employment lawyer for sports, said, “You have your existing population saying, ‘Well, if this is the range, why do I fall on the lower side or the medium side? … (And) now I can see, as an employee of X firm, what an employee of Y firm is making.” On top of this, he notes that there are employers who may not even post their jobs on the job boards so they can be choosier on unsolicited materials. It would be challenging to micromanage on each job board to ensure that the pay rate is there.
Interestingly when Colorado had approved this law, large companies have provided their job postings everywhere but Colorado. The state Labor and Employment Department did not answer any questions.
Sponsor Nantasha Williams said that with this law, it would meet everyone in the same level in clarity of what is expected of their work. Sian Beilock, the president of all-women’s Barnard College, states, “Moving towards gender parity, in terms of the workplace, is a really important goal,” but it’s important to consider promotions, management responsibilities and other aspects, she said. “I worry that focusing on salary misses a larger point.”
