A year after enacting the 2018 Equal Pay and Opportunity Act, the legislature in Washington has passed HB 1696, which restricts pay history inquiries and enhances pay transparency requirements. The state will be the eighth to ban all public and private employers from seeking the wage or salary history from an applicant or the applicant’s current or former employer and from relying on prior wage or salary history to set pay. In addition, the bill also states that after an employment offer has been made, employers with at least 15 employees must provide the minimum wage or salary for the applicant’s new position upon request. Specifications are in place for internally transferred employees.

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