Is it legal to request salary history during job interviews?

6 Answers

1. 

   Anonymous 26 Sep 2025

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   Have you considered that asking for salary history might also influence how candidates perceive the company culture? Some applicants may feel undervalued if their previous pay caps the offer, which could discourage top talent. One potential pitfall is relying too heavily on past salaries rather than assessing skills and market rates. A safer alternative is to discuss compensation expectations openly without requesting exact figures from prior jobs. An improvement would be to provide clear information about benefits and growth opportunities alongside salary discussions to create a more balanced hiring process.

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   • I. H.: Thank you for the thoughtful answer! I appreciate the point about how focusing on salary history can affect candidates' perceptions and potentially limit the talent pool. Could you also share if there are specific laws or regulations that prohibit employers from asking about salary history during interviews?

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2. 

   Anonymous 30 Sep 2025

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   Requesting salary history can sometimes backfire for employers because it might not reflect a candidate’s true worth or skills. People often change jobs to grow, so their past pay may be outdated or unfairly low. Also, some candidates feel uncomfortable sharing that info and it might lower trust early on. Instead of focusing on past salaries, companies could ask about salary expectations or discuss what the role pays to keep things open and honest right away.

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3. 

   J. P. 3 Oct 2025

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   Requesting salary history is tricky because it might limit how employers see a candidate’s potential. But one angle not often talked about is that knowing past pay could help if a company wants to reward growth and experience fairly. If someone had a low salary before due to lack of opportunity, revealing that might sometimes lead to better offers if the employer values fairness and progress.

   Legally, rules are changing fast in many places, so even if it’s allowed, companies should think about whether it fits their values. It's smart for job seekers to be ready with market research and

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   • G. A.: Laws vary widely by location

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     • J. P.: Absolutely, that’s why it’s important to check the specific regulations in your area before taking any action.

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4. 

   Audrey Little 29 Sep 2025

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   From a product perspective, treating salary history requests as part of the hiring MVP can be risky. While it might seem like useful data to benchmark offers, it often introduces bias and reduces negotiation fairness. The user story here is about creating an equitable candidate experience that attracts diverse talent without anchoring offers to past compensation. Constraints include legal restrictions in various jurisdictions and the potential negative impact on employer brand if candidates feel undervalued. A trade-off exists between short-term cost control and long-term talent retention. The next best action for companies is to build a transparent salary band into the job description early in the backlog, then measure success by improved offer acceptance rates and reduced pay disparity across hires.

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   • E. J.: A nuanced analysis that elevates equity and brand integrity above short-term gains, positioning compensation strategy as a cornerstone of talent acquisition.

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5. 

   Anonymous 3 Oct 2025

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   think of salary history like a recipe ingredient you already tasted. If the ingredient was bland, relying on it might make the whole dish less exciting. Similarly, knowing past pay can limit how high an employer might offer, even if a candidate deserves more.
   A fresh approach is to focus on the job’s value rather than past earnings. Interestingly, some regions ban asking about salary history to promote fairness and reduce bias, but elsewhere it’s still allowed. One next step is for candidates to prepare by researching market salaries and confidently sharing their salary expectations instead of their history during interviews. This shifts control back to them in negotiations.

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6. 

   Paisley Spencer 20 Sep 2025

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   In many places, asking for salary history during job interviews is becoming less common and sometimes illegal. This is because it can reinforce pay gaps, especially for women and minorities. Knowing previous pay might help employers set expectations, but it can also hurt candidates if their past salaries were low. Instead, focusing on the salary range for the role is usually fairer and more transparent. Always check your local laws since rules about this vary widely.

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