California Pay Scale Rules in 2026
California pay scale requirements have been in place for several years, yet many employers remain uncertain about what compliance truly requires. Now that we are in 2026, recent amendments to California’s pay transparency laws make one point clear. Compliance is no longer satisfied by posting a pay range and moving on. The focus is now on whether the pay scale reflects reality. Labor Code section 432.3 requires covered California employers to disclose pay scales in job postings and to provide a pay scale upon request to applicants and employees (Lab. Code, § 432.3 (a), (c)) . Although many employers initially treated pay transparency as a posting requirement, enforcement agencies and plaintiffs’ attorneys are increasingly focused on a different question: Was the pay range meaningful and made in good faith? What is a “Pay Scale” Under California’s 2026 Amendments Effective January 1, 2026, amendments to California’s pay scale law clarified what qualifies as a compliant pay scale. A pay ...