Hiring & Pay Transparency
Hiring & Pay Transparency Tools
Free tools for salary-range disclosure, salary-history bans, and ban-the-box hiring rules by state.
Reviewed by theComplianceToolsLibrary Editorial Team · Last updated
Hiring compliance has shifted fast toward transparency and fairness laws that vary by state and city. Three fast-moving areas dominate: pay-transparency rules that require posting salary ranges, salary-history bans that prohibit asking what a candidate earned before, and ban-the-box (fair-chance) laws that limit when you can ask about criminal history.
Because these are state- and local-law driven and change frequently, the safest approach is to check the rules for every jurisdiction where you recruit — not just where you're headquartered — and to apply the most protective standard where they overlap.
Key concepts
- Pay transparency
- Laws requiring employers to disclose a salary or wage range in job postings or on request.
- Salary history ban
- A prohibition on asking candidates about their prior pay, intended to prevent carrying forward pay gaps.
- Ban the box
- Fair-chance rules that delay criminal-history questions until later in the hiring process.
- Jurisdiction stacking
- When state and local laws both apply, the more protective requirement generally controls.
Frequently asked questions
Do I have to post salary ranges in job ads?
In a growing number of states and cities, yes. The Salary Range Disclosure Checker shows whether a pay-transparency law applies where you hire.
Can I ask candidates about their salary history?
Not in states and localities with salary-history bans. Check the rule for each place you recruit before asking.
When can I ask about criminal history?
Ban-the-box laws typically delay that question until after an initial screen or a conditional offer. Timing varies by jurisdiction.