Salary History Bans: Wages and Mobility

Link to full Census RDC Project

Since late 2017, various states and local governments have instituted salary history bans. These salary history bans, as their name suggests, generally prevent employers from asking job applicants about their previous positions’ salaries, wages, or benefits. The purpose of this legislation is to reduce the long-term effects of early career wage discrimination, especially for women or members of minority groups. Yet, unintended consequences may undermine the stated goal and increase churn in the labor market. I research how this public policy, which limits businesses’ information on prospective employees, alters labor market functioning.