Maine Bill Bars Potential Employers From Inquiring About Salary History

A bill that makes it illegal in most cases to try to find out the salary history of a potential employee is now law.

Gov. Janet Mills signed the bill Thursday afternoon. The new legislation makes it illegal in most cases to inquire about a potential employee's salary history, or to seek out that information, until after an offer of employment has been made.

Violations of the legislation would result in a fine of between $100 and $500 per violation.

It's not uncommon to ask for salary history even at the earliest stages of a job application - but the bill's lead sponsor, Falmouth Democratic Sen. Cathy Breen, says the practice hurts women more and more as they move through their careers.

"If a person goes into a job interview and is beginning to negotiate a salary, and the employer inquires about past pay, then they could be either deliberately, or certainly not deliberately, perpetuating the pay gap."

Read more: https://www.mainepublic.org/post/maine-bill-bars-potential-employers-inquiring-about-salary-history