New York City Passes Ban On Salary History Inquiries

Mayor Bill de Blasio has signed an amendment to the New York City Human Rights Law (“NYCHRL”) which makes it unlawful for employers to ask job applicants about their salary history or to rely on salary history during the hiring process. Not only does the law prohibit asking an applicant or the applicant’s current/former employer about the applicant’s salary, it also prohibits the search or review of public records to obtain such information. Employers may still tell applicants about the salary range for the position for which they applied, and nothing prohibits the employer from considering the applicant’s salary history if the applicant first volunteers such information. New York City employers should insure that their hiring processes, practices and forms are modified to comply with this new law. The law goes into effect on October 31, 2017.