Despite delays and uncertainty about its implementation, one thing is for certain about New York City’s new pay transparency law: A lot of lawyers are going to get paid exploring it and its fluid, dynamic nature.
Earlier this year, the city enacted a law that requires employers to list the salary range in any job advertisement. Then, just as the law was about to go into effect in May, the city delayed its implementation to November with new amendments. This delay was implemented in part to allow both advocates of the law and those with concerns to continue discussing how this law can work in practice.
The reason? The original version of the law left some terms undefined—including key ones for a law like this, such as “advertising” and “salary”—and the law was unclear on how hourly workers would be affected.
The May amendment signed by Mayor Eric Adams clarifies a few issues. There is now no financial penalty for a first violation if the employer resolves it within 30 days. And the law now specifically applies only to jobs that are performed at least in part within the city.
It’s likely that the mayor will sign another amendment