One goal of New York City’s new salary transparency law is to close the persistent pay gap between men and women. By requiring companies that are hiring to post salary ranges with job descriptions, the theory goes, applicants will have more information on what a certain job is worth and more leeway to negotiate for the best offer. This, in turn, may finally boost the salaries of women and people of color to be more in line with those of white men.
I hope the law does help close these pay gaps. I also hope it helps another group of people: younger workers.
As it stands, too many young people are fumbling around in the dark when it comes to making informed decisions about what to study in school and which jobs to pursue upon graduation. If many of them are clueless, it’s only because clues are so hard to find.
