New Orleans Mayor, Mitch Landrieu, has issued an executive order that bans questions about salary history during the application processes for City positions. The executive order is effective January 25, 2017 and is similar to measures in Philadelphia and Massachusetts.
The executive order applies to all City departments and prohibits inquiries about a candidate’s salary history during the application and interview process. The order states that the Chief Administrative Office will issue a policy memorandum outlining the interview process City departments must follow when seeking candidates for employment including, but not limited to, prohibiting questions about a candidate’s salary history throughout the application and interview phases.
The order also requires the Civil Service Commission to conduct a study of pay disparity among city employees that will include analysis of actual wages paid, with a breakdown of gender, classification, base pay, longevity, merit, special assignment, overtime, and any other pay above the base rate for the position and an estimate of the cost to close the wage gap.
While the executive order is limited to City employees it may signal a willingness to move in that direction for private employers in the future. Private employers would do well to continue to monitor developments and consider reviewing their hiring processes in advance of any future changes to local and state laws.