How Salary History Bans Shift Negotiation Power

In this episode of The Compensation Podcast, Lucas and Luna explore how salary history bans—now law in 22 states—change the dynamics of job offer negotiations. Using the specific case of a marketing manager in Colorado who received a first offer 18% higher than her previous salary after the ban took effect, they unpack why employers can no longer anchor offers to past pay. Lucas cites 2025 data from the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta showing that job switchers in ban states saw a 4.7% larger wage increase than those in non-ban states. They also discuss loopholes companies exploit, such as asking for 'salary expectations' instead of history, and how candidates can use that question to their advantage. The episode covers a 2023 study from the University of Toronto that found salary history bans reduced the gender pay gap by 4.5% in affected jurisdictions. By the end, listeners understand why ditching salary history reduces inequity and how to navigate a negotiation when the interviewer asks about expectations instead of history. #SalaryHistoryBan #PayTransparency #NegotiationPower #GenderPayGap #Colorado #WageGrowth #JobSwitchers #FederalReserve #UniversityOfToronto #Compensation #Careers #Business #Economics #LaborMarket #SalaryExpectations #FexingoBusiness #BusinessPodcast #CareersPodcast Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo