A new bill introduced in the Minnesota state legislature would require employers to include the salary for all positions they intend to fill.
The bill, introduced by Minnesota Rep. Kristin Bahner (DFL), would require companies with 30 or more employees to disclose salary ranges that include a minimum and maximum or hourly range of compensation in their job postings, as well as a description of the benefits they offer.
Last year, state legislators passed a bill that made it illegal for employers to ask prospective employees what they made at previous jobs. This new bill is now being seen as complementary to its predecessor, which went into effect on Jan. 1.
“When transparency is available, it puts folks on a more level playing field where they are able to have those conversations with a potential employer,” Bahner said while discussing the bill with the Star Tribune. “It sets expectations if you know what the bottom of the range is versus the top, and you can ask critical questions.”
Bahner shared that the bill is also meant to help address the gender pay gap, which a report from the Center on Women, Gender and Public Policy at the University of Minnesota’s Humphrey School of Public Affairs shared costs the average Minnesota woman $447,960 in wages over their lifetime.
Since the bill’s introduction, both Republicans and Democrats in the state have shown support for more transparency when it comes to employers and pay.
Minnesota isn’t the first state to address this issue, as in recent years, New York, California, and Colorado have passed similar salary pay transparency legislation meant to help keep employers honest and employees on the job market.
The bill has not yet been voted on, but state legislators have time, as the Minnesota legislative session doesn’t end until late May.