Now You See Money Your Coworkers Make In New York State

Do you know how much money your co-workers make?

For a long time, talking about money, especially regarding how much someone gets paid at their job, was considered a faux pas. A lot of us were raised to think that talking about how much money you or others make is rude, and could make others uncomfortable.

But on the other hand, when coworkers aren’t open with each other about their salaries, it makes it harder to recognize if you’re being underpaid for the work you do compared to others in your company.

In reality, this is a tactic used by many employers for a long time. Some companies even encourage their employees to keep their salaries to themselves so that other employees won’t demand a raise.

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This “pay secrecy” practice is a big reason why pay gaps still exist for women, people of color, the LGBTQ+ community, people with disabilities, and other minority groups.

Pay Transparency Will Now Be Required In New York State

A new law passed in New York will now make it known what someone in your position should be paid.

The Pay Transparency Law, which went into effect on Sunday, will require any business with four or more employees to post the minimum and maximum salary or hourly pay for any advertised job position.

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This includes Internet boards and job posting sites (like Indeed or LinkedIn), fliers handed out at job fairs, and even classified ads. The law applies to full and part-time positions, as well as independent contractors, and remote employees who work outside of New York but report to a supervisor, office or worksite based in the Empire state.

Also, if an employer offers a promotion or transfer within the company, that salary range must be disclosed to their employees.

Unfortunately, the new law doesn’t apply to government agencies or temporary help firms.

In a release, Governor Hochul stated,

“With the implementation of our pay transparency law, New York is once again at the cutting edge of promoting fairness and equity in the workplace.”

A pay transparency law has been in effect in New York City since last November, and the state-wide version passed in the New York State Senate in June of 2022.

Here’s What This Law Means For New York State Workers

For starters, if you’re looking for a new job, you’ll know immediately the salary range that you’ll be paid. Second, for employed workers, you’ll be able to check out how the pay that’s posted compares to what you make now, and know if you’re currently being underpaid for your position.