Columbus Employers May No Longer Ask Job Seekers About Salary History

Today, on the first day of Women’s History Month, Columbus employers may no longer ask job seekers about their salary history. YWCA Columbus applauds Councilmember Lourdes Barroso de Padilla and Columbus City Council for taking an important step toward eliminating the persistent gender pay gap.

Women, especially women of color and LGBTQ+ people, earn cents on the dollar compared to their white male counterparts. This inequity often starts in the hiring process but is compounded as the cycle of wage discrimination then follows workers from job to job, perpetuating structural bias.

The long-term effects of lower wages lead to economic instability, difficulty navigating a crisis, and the inability to grow wealth. For far too long, women’s labor has been undervalued and uncompensated. Eliminating questions about salary history during the hiring process is a significant step toward leveling the playing field for workers to negotiate wages.

We look forward to seeing the impact of this law on Columbus workers and supporting additional efforts to combat pay discrimination and ensure economic security for all women.