A new law in Washington, DC, requires employers to list salary and hourly wage information in job advertisements, expanding the city’s existing wage transparency laws.
Under the DC Home Rule Act, Congress is the ultimate authority on all legislation passed in the nation’s capital. Congress has 30 days to approve the new law. If approved, the changes will go into effect on June 30, Forbes reported.
“In imposing these new requirements, DC joins a nationwide trend of jurisdictions requiring that employers provide upfront pay disclosures to employees, including California, Colorado, Hawaii, New York and Washington,” attorney Jack Blum of Polsinelli Law Firm wrote in a blog post.
California, Rhode Island and Washington state joined other states, cities and counties in salary transparency efforts as of Jan. 1, according to CNBC.
In the nation’s capital, Mayor Muriel Bowser (D) signed amendments to the DC Wage Transparency Act of 2014 into law on Jan. 12. Under the Wage Transparency Omnibus Amendment Act of 2023, employers must include pay ranges when advertising positions. The requirement includes listing the minimum and maximum projected salary or hourly wage. Listings also must include detailed information about health benefits offered with the job.
“If an employer fails to make these disclosures, the applicant is provided the right to inquire about the position’s salary range and benefits, with such inquiries being protected against retaliation. The law applies to all employers, no matter the size of the business,” Blum said.
The law applies to all employers, no matter the size of the business. Blum noted that fines for noncompliance are $1,000 for a first violation, $5,000 for a second violation and $20,000 for each subsequent violation.
An increase in healthcare pay transparency is taking place thanks to social media, publicly available surveys and websites, and even new legal requirements for job postings in some states, McKnight’s Long-Term Care News previously reported.
