Philadelphia Bans Employers from Asking about Salary History
Philadelphia became the first city in the nation to bar employers from asking potential hires to provide their salary history.
Mayor Jim Kenney, a Democrat, signed the measure, and said: "I know that Comcast and the business community are committed to ending wage discrimination, and I'm hopeful that moving forward we can have a better partnership on this and other issues of concern to business owners and their employees," he said. "This doesn't need to be an either/or argument — what is good for the people of Philadelphia is good for business, too."
The City Council unanimously passed the ordinance in December. Supporters contend that since women have historically been paid less than men, the practice of asking for a salary history can help perpetuate a cycle of lower salaries for women, continuing throughout their careers.
Women in Pennsylvania are paid 79 cents for every dollar a man earns, according to a 2015 Census Bureau report. For black and Hispanic women, the pay gap is even wider.
The bill will officially become law May 23.
Looking for a reprint of this article?
From high-res PDFs to custom plaques, order your copy today!
