Be Careful When Asking About the ‘S’ Word in Interviewing Candidates

Different markets have different standards of living—and compensation. So, it’s important to get a sense early on whether what you’re willing to pay aligns well with qualified job seekers. That’s going to be a lot tougher if an emerging trend continues to grow, however. Some cities and states are forbidding interviewers from asking candidates about their current, or most recent, salary. Legislation to that effect was just passed in Philadelphia, though the city will delay enforcing the new law until a federal judge weighs in on a petition to block it. New York City and Massachusetts passed similar new laws that will take effect later this year and in July 2018, respectively; Illinois, Maine, Maryland, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, and Vermont are thinking about going that route, as well. Proponents rationalize that not asking about recent salary history will help close the gender gap in salary. Opponents complain such laws diminish their ability to gather information necessary for them to compensate new hires appropriately and, ultimately, to run a profitable business.