Employers will soon have to list salary in job postings

A new bill increases a burden on employers

Under a bill signed into law by Gov. Jay Inslee, employers in Washington will need to include salary and benefits information in job postings, rather than waiting until they make a job offer to a prospective employee. The provisions of Senate Bill 5761 apply to employers with 15 or more workers and will take effect on Jan. 1, 2023.

The new Washington law applies to any solicitation the employer uses to attract new workers, whether, through a third-party recruiter, a printed job announcement, or a posting on a digital job board, The Seattle Times reports. Any posting that includes qualifications expected of applicants also must include salary information.

AWB Government Affairs Director Bob Battles told The Seattle Times that he is hearing many questions from employers about the bill: What does it mean to give notice to workers? How much detail does a company need to provide about available benefits? Does that include things like paid parking and dental coverage? If an employer chooses a candidate with less experience than originally expected, can it change the salary range? Or does it have to repost the position and start the application process from square one?

AWB is hoping for more clarification

He hopes and expects that the Department of Labor & Industries will provide guidance or rules answering these questions before the law goes into effect.

“This is really a good example of a bill with good intentions, but it simply isn’t necessary,” Battles said. “And I think it really makes it more difficult, especially for small businesses.”

As reported by the Association of Washington Businesses