Washington has become the third state on the Pacific Coast to pass legislation prohibiting employers’ inquiries into applicant salary history. Governor Jay Inslee recently signed House Bill 1696, which claims to be “an additional step towards gender equality.” The state previously expanded its equal pay law in March 2018 when it passed the Equal Pay and Opportunities Act (EPOA). In addition to restricting employers from “seeking” a job applicant’s “wage or salary history” directly from the job applicant or indirectly through the applicant’s employer, the amended EPOA also provides that an employer must provide to a job applicant “the minimum wage or salary” for the position sought when requested. The “wage scale or salary range” also must be provided to a current employee upon request when an internal transfer or promotion has been offered.
