Colorado’s Equal Pay for Equal Work Act likely contributed to fewer online job postings in the state, especially for remote positions offered by national employers, while at the same time boosting the number of active jobseekers, according to a study from labor market research hub Recruitonomics.
“This version of what Colorado passed is the broadest definition of salary transparency that can be considered,” said Sam Kuhn, a labor economist with Recruitonomics, adding what happened in Colorado is worth studying as more states like New York, Washington and Rhode Island implement similar requirements.
Pay is the top item workers consider when pursuing a particular job and polls show the public overwhelmingly supports greater pay transparency, which is considered a key way to reduce pay disparities based on race and gender. But disclosure rules aren’t popular with some employers, who feel revealing too much information can leave them at a disadvantage in attracting applicants and negotiating with potential hires.
