Beginning Sept. 29, 2019, Illinois employers will be prohibited from asking for an employer’s wage history during the hiring process. The law, which amends the Illinois Equal Pay Act, is designed with the intent of avoiding future pay disparity between men and women based on prior wage differences. Among other restrictions, employers are prohibited from screening job applicants based on current or prior wages or salary histories by requiring an applicant’s wage or salary history satisfy minimum or maximum criteria. In addition, it provides that an individual may bring a civil action against an employer who violates the law anytime within five years of the alleged violation.
