Compliance Stuff

On November 4, 2025, Mayor Andrew Ginther signed into law a new bill that will prohibit employers employing 15 or more people within the City of Columbus from inquiring about a job applicant’s salary history, and will require them to post a salary range for each job posting . This law goes into effect December 3, 2025, but will not be enforced until January 1, 2027.  The new law prohibits covered employers from:  Inquiring about the salary history of an applicant for employment; Screening job applicants based on their current or prior wages , benefits, other compensation, or salary histories, or requiring that an applicant's prior wages, benefits, other compensation, or salary history satisfy minimum or maximum criteria; Relying solely on the salary history of an applicant in deciding whether to offer employment to an applicant, or in determining the salary, benefits, or other compensation for such applicant during the hiring process, including the negotiation of an employmen...

  Washington employers will soon get some relief from the state’s strict job posting requirements after lawmakers unanimously passed a law to mitigate some of the more onerous parts of the key state statute. Starting July 27, state law will provide a grace period to correct violations , limit the amount of damages that applicants and workers can receive if violations are found, and offer additional flexibility to comply with the law. What do you need to know about the new law signed into effect today, and what seven things should Washington employers do as a result of this fortunate development? 2023 Job Posting Rules Carry Steep Risk Since January 1, 2023, Washington’s Equal Pay and Opportunity Act (EPOA) has required that employers ensure their job postings include the “wage scale or salary range and general description of benefits and other compensation” to promote pay transparency as one way to combat pay inequity. These rules – and their consequences – are arguably the stric...