New Bill Would Make It Illegal for Philadelphia Employers to Ask Job Seekers About Past Salary

How much money have you made in past jobs?

It’s the question many job seekers dread on applications.

If a Philadelphia city councilman gets his way, though, it would be illegal for employers to ask it.

Patricia Greenwood knows the question all too well. Whether it’s on an application or during an interview, employers often put her on the spot requiring that she share how much she was paid in past jobs.

“I don’t like it. It’s not good at all. They’re not judging me on my character, on who I am. What my qualities are, my skills and my experience,” she said.

City Councilman William Greenlee doesn’t like it either. He says the question keeps women and minorities from getting a comparable salary to their white male counterparts.

“It’s kind of almost a common sense argument. Like why should somebody’s previous pay determine what their pay on their next job is?” he said.

On Thursday, Greenlee introduced a bill that would ban employers from asking applicants about their salary history. The legislation seeks to close the wage gap for women and minorities who census figures show continue to make less than their white male counterparts while doing the same jobs.

“If you base a person’s salary on what they previously made, that continues the inequities,” Greenlee said.

In Massachusetts, a similar bill passed with bipartisan support in August. Congressional Democrats have also introduced a bill.

New Jersey and Pennsylvania lawmakers are among a handful across the country following suit trying to capitalize on the momentum.

As for Patricia, the change can’t come soon enough.

“ Hopefully City Council will not wait too late to pass that,” she said. “It should be immediate.”