New California Law Prohibits Mandatory Salary History Inquiry
On October 12, 2017, California Governor Jerry Brown signed AB 168 into law. This new law prohibits prospective employers from inquiring into an applicant's salary history. This law will become effective January 1, 2018. This new law is intended to combat the continuation of historical pay gaps existing along gender and/or racial lines by preventing employers from using previous low salaries to undercut a new salary offer. The law also requires employers to provide prospective employees, upon request, the pay scale for a position. This new law will be found at California Labor Code Section 432.3.