Job posting salary range required now in Minnesota under new law

ST. PAUL, Minn. (FOX 9) - Minnesotans looking for a new job will now know the salary range and benefits offered before ever applying. 

The change to Minnesota law comes via a bill authored by Rep. Kristin Bahner (DFL-Maple Grove) this legislative session, and requires an employer with 30 or more employees to include the starting salary range and general description of benefits – or other compensation – for any job posting, whether printed or electronic.

A "salary range" would be defined in law as the minimum or maximum salary or hourly range of compensation for a job at the time of posting.

In addition to decreasing discrimination, supporters of the proposal said it would also create a scenario that saves money for employers actively recruiting, and time for jobseekers applying.

As of October 2023, there were 11 states that had wage requirement transparency laws in place. Another dozen states are considering similar legislation, according to Rep. Bahner.

"This still allows for [salary] negotiation. But this is the way the world is moving, and this provides a substantial benefit for both employers and employees," Rep. Bahner said during a committee hearing. "Not only is it the right thing to do, but it makes sense for both."

The Minnesota Council of Nonprofits (MCN) wrote in support of the requirements, saying in a statement that the practice is, "a critical step, among others, to create more equitable hiring practices," while citing a Columbia University study that states wage transparency reduces the gender pay gap by 7%.

The bill was signed into law by Gov. Tim Walz on May 17 as part of the larger omnibus labor and industry policy package.