Pay Equity Co-Chair Featured in HR Dive’s Mailbag Series

In HR Dive’s Mailbag Series, a regular column that answers human resource professionals' work-related questions, Kathleen Caminiti weighed in on the question of what to do when candidates discuss their salary history in an interview. In addition to discussing the “sea change” in recent salary disclosure laws and an increase in the availability of salary information, she said that there’s one main factor to pay attention to.

"It really comes down to knowing the law in their location, and making sure that other important players in the hiring process are aware of the limitations or requirements," she said.

Legislation banning employers from asking candidates about their salary history information exists in more than 20 states now. According to Kathleen, the laws are generally put in place to help candidates who have been historically underpaid — women and people of color.

"The theory is you start low and you stay low," she said, adding that basing a candidate's compensation on their previous pay level can perpetuate pay disparities, pay discrimination, and pay stereotypes.

Read her full answer in HR Dive.