How to Handle Salary History Questions in Job Interviews
Experts say job seekers are not obligated to disclose their current salary during interviews. Here's what candidates should know.
Job seekers facing questions about their current pay during interviews may not be required to answer — a fact that employment experts say many candidates do not realize, according to a BBC News report.
Asking about salary history has become a contentious practice in hiring, with critics arguing it can lock workers — particularly women and minorities — into lower pay by anchoring new offers to previous compensation rather than market value or role requirements.
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Experts advise candidates to redirect the conversation toward their salary expectations for the prospective position rather than disclosing what they currently earn. This approach allows applicants to frame compensation discussions around their value and the demands of the new role, rather than their existing pay.
In several U.S. states and cities, employers are already legally barred from requesting salary history information. Where such laws are in effect, candidates have a clear legal basis for declining to answer. Even where no such prohibition exists, employment specialists emphasize that candidates retain the practical right to decline, since most employers will not withdraw consideration solely because an applicant declined to share current compensation details.
The guidance reflects a broader shift in how compensation transparency is viewed in the labor market, with more candidates and advocacy groups pushing back against practices they say perpetuate pay gaps. Continue reading at BBC News.
