While the fireworks have fizzled and the BBQ leftovers are (hopefully) gone, one thing that’s still heating up? Pay transparency legislation on both sides of the Atlantic. 🌍🔥
From Vermont to Malta, new rules are reshaping how employers hire, promote, and communicate about pay. And with even more laws set to take effect later this year, including in Cleveland and across the EU, you’ll want to stay ahead of the curve.
Here’s your mid-year roundup of the biggest legal changes you need to know. 👇
United States Roundup
🏙️ New Jersey — Effective June 1
If you’re hiring in New Jersey (or even remotely for New Jerseyans) listen up:
- 💼 Applies to employers with 10+ employees doing business in New Jersey
- 📄 Job postings must include salary/hourly wage ranges + benefits + other comp
- 🌐 3rd-party listings? Covered!
- 🚀 Promotions too: employers must make a “reasonable effort” to share them internally
- ⚠️ Fines: $300 (first), $600 (each after): no private lawsuits
🌲 Vermont — Effective July 1
Transparency is officially on the map in the Green Mountain State:
- 👥 Applies to employers with 5+ employees, including remote roles tied to Vermont
- 📢 Salary ranges required for all job postings (internal + external)
- 💼 Exceptions: commission-only (just share structure) and tipped roles (base pay only)
- 🎯 Flexibility allowed, but ranges must be posted
- ❌ No retaliation for pay discussions
- ⚖️ Enforcement: civil only, handled by the state, so there are no private lawsuits
🏙️ Cleveland, Ohio — Effective October 27
Starting this fall, Cleveland employers with 15+ employees must:
- ❌ Stop asking about salary history
- 📊 Include salary ranges in all job postings
- 🙋♀️ Share pay ranges with current employees upon request
- 💸 Violations: start with a warning, but escalate up to $5,000
🏖️ Delaware — Signed, Effective Mid-2026
A big leap for pay equity in the First State:
- 📋 Job postings must include pay range + benefits + other comp
- 🏡 Applies to in-state roles and remote jobs that could be filled by a Delawarean
- 🗂️ Recordkeeping required: job descriptions + wage histories for 3 years
- ❌ No retaliation — violations after a warning = $2K–$10K fines
- 👥 Applies to employers with 11+ employees
Europe: Pay Transparency Goes Global
Finland — Draft Law, Effective May 2026
The Finnish government published a draft bill to comply with the EU Pay Transparency Directive on May 16, 2026.
- 📄 Pay ranges required in job listings or early in interviews
- 📊 Employees can see average and median salaries for similar roles — with gender breakdowns
- 👥 If a 5%+ unexplained gender gap exists, employers (100+ staff) must partner with reps for joint assessments
- ❌ Pay secrecy clauses = banned
- 📈 Regular gender pay gap reporting required
- ⚖️ Strong enforcement = fines + liability
Belgium (La Federation Wallonie-Bruxelles) — Effective 2026
The requirements below only apply to employers who are subject to the Federation Wallonie-Bruxelles jurisdiction.
- 🏛️ Public sector must share accessible salary data
- 🏷️ Use non-discriminatory job titles
- 👨👩👧👦 Analyze how family leave impacts pay gaps
Sweden — Draft Law Released
The Swedish Ministry of Labor and Employment released a draft bill on May 29, 2024. While this is only the first draft of its proposed amendments, this is a great first step for Sweden to comply with the EU Pay Transparency Directive.
- 📢 Salary info upfront
- 🧾 Extra local reporting rules still apply (for employers with 10+)
Poland — New Law Signed, Likely Late 2025
Poland’s Parliament passed the amendment to its Labour Code to comply with the EU Pay Transparency Directive on June 4, 2025.
- 💬 Must provide salary ranges + relevant pay rules or CBAs
- 📝 Info required in the posting, before the interview, or at hiring — in writing
- ⚠️ Job postings must be gender-neutral
- 🚫 Salary history questions? Banned
Ireland — Draft Published January 2025
At the beginning of the year, Ireland published its draft bill, which would implement the EU Pay Transparency Directive into law.
- ❌ No more salary history questions
- 📢 Salary ranges now required in job ads
Netherlands — Draft Law Advancing March 27, 2025
The Netherlands published its draft bill, which would implement the EU Pay Transparency Directive into law.
- 💰 Pay breakdown required — base pay vs extras
- 📄 Salary range disclosure before negotiation
- 🔍 Workers can request their pay data + compare to gender averages
- 🧮 Mandatory wage reporting for employers with 150+ employees
- 🧑💼 Job groups with 5%+ gaps? Must fix in 6 months
- 🛠️ Works councils involved in salary policy discussions
- 📈 Employers with 50+ must also share salary progression criteria
Malta — Draft Law, Effective August 27, 2025
The Maltese government just dropped its first draft of legislation to implement the EU Pay Transparency Directive 📜
Here’s what employers should expect starting this August:
📌 What’s changing:
- 💬 Must share salary ranges with job candidates before hiring
- 📄 Provide relevant collective agreement info to candidates
- 📊 Employees can request pay data (including that of peers in similar roles)—employers must respond within 2 months
🚫 What’s not required (yet):
- No mandate for salary ranges in job ads
- No salary history ban
- No obligation to report gender pay gaps
- No requirement to disclose pay decision criteria
US Bills that recently died
- Florida—June 16, 2025 died in subcommittee
- Montana—May 23, 2025
- Maine—April 8, 2025
- Connecticut—April 3, 2025
- Missouri—February 2025
- West Virginia—Feb 2025
- Kentucky
- Indiana
Pay Transparency Cheat Sheet
Here is a list of states that will enact pay transparency legislation in 2025:
- 🦞 Massachusetts ➡ October 29, 2025
What does this mean for employers? It’s time to start checking your pay structures (including benchmarking your roles and running pay equity checks), updating your job postings to include those salary ranges, and building trust through transparency with your incumbent employee population.
Here's a list of pay transparency laws already enacted:
- ☀ California
- 🐻 Colorado
- 🌺 Hawaii
- 🍕 Illinois
- 🦀 Maryland
- ❄ Minnesota
- 🌃 New York state/NYC
- 🎡 New Jersey
- 🍂 Vermont
- ⛰ Washington state
- 🏛 Washington D.C.
🧠 Final Thoughts:
Whether you're in Montpelier, Malta, or Malmö, the direction is clear — pay transparency is no longer optional.
Now’s the time to audit your pay practices, refresh outdated salary ranges, and get serious about consistency and compliance.
✨ The world is watching — so post those ranges, document your decisions, and treat transparency like the business strategy it is. 💬💼
One remaining Roman Candle for you to set off. Check out our webinar: Pay Transparency Legislation Best Practices in 2025.
