A Look at New York City’s New Law Prohibiting Employers From Inquiring About the Salary History of Applicants

In its latest effort to close the “gender gap” on wages, the New York City Council has enacted legislation (effective in 180 days) prohibiting employers from inquiring about a job applicant’s “salary history.” As the new law forbids inquiry into the “salary history” of any applicant (with very limited exceptions), it is not clear how limiting the questions an employer can ask will actually narrow the gender gap.