A proposed New York bill would ban employer inquiries about salary expectations

At a glance

• A new bill proposes to prohibit employers from asking job applicants about their expected salary, whether verbally or in writing.
• Employers would not be able to use an applicant’s stated salary expectations—whether shared voluntarily or not—to decide on hiring, promotion, or compensation.
• Applicants would be able to request details about the benefits offered for the position they’re applying for.

A bill currently in committee in the New York State Assembly (2025-A1289) proposes the following:

• Prohibits employers from asking about salary expectations: Employers would not be allowed to ask job applicants—either verbally or in writing—about their expected salary.
• Bans discrimination based on salary expectations: Employers cannot refuse to interview, hire, or promote a candidate based on the salary expectations they voluntarily disclose.
• Restricts use of voluntarily shared salary expectations: Even if an applicant shares their salary expectations on their own, employers are prohibited from using that information to determine:
  • whether to offer the applicant a job; and
  • how much to pay them.
• Empowers applicants to request benefits information: Applicants would have the right to request details about the benefits included with the position they are applying for.