Q. My company is based in Philadelphia. We often set salaries for new employees based on the applicant’s wage history. Are we still permitted to do this?
A. Effective May 23, 2017, a new Philadelphia Ordinance makes it unlawful for employers in Philadelphia to inquire about a prospective employee’s wage history or require disclosure of wage history as a condition of employment. The law was passed to encourage employers to base salary offers on the job responsibilities of the position sought, rather than on the applicant’s prior wages. Employers will no longer be able to rely on the wage history of a prospective employee when determining the wages of that individual, unless the individual knowingly and willingly disclosed his or her wage history to the employer.
To ensure compliance with the Ordinance, employers who do business in Philadelphia should start thinking about revising their employment applications to delete any questions inquiring about an applicant’s wage history. Recruiters, HR personnel and managers will need to be trained about the new law so that these individuals know not to ask wage-based questions during the interview process. In addition, employers should consider revising their EEO policies to add wage history to the list of protected categories.