China News Service, November 2. According to the US "World Journal" report, New York City's "Wage Transparency Law" (Wage Transparency Law) took effect on November 1, requiring employers to clearly state the scope of the basic salary when placing employment advertisements.
Proponents say it helps promote pay equity, especially for women and men and workers of different ethnicities.
Chinese community owners have mixed reactions to the new law.
For years, companies in New York City advertised jobs without salaries, job seekers had no idea about possible salaries, and employees didn't know about the pay gap.
The new law requires businesses with four or more employees to list the base salary range for each position when advertising jobs, excluding other benefits such as overtime, paid time off and health insurance.
The pay transparency law was passed by the city council at the end of former Mayor Bill de Blasio's term.
Company executives and business groups complained that they were not consulted on the law, which was later delayed until November and removed fines for first-time violations, but repeat offenders can be fined up to $250,000.
The law is run by the New York City Commission on Human Rights.
The new crown pneumonia epidemic has tilted the labor market in favor of employees, and New York City-like "wage transparency laws" are becoming a national trend.
Colorado had implemented similar laws earlier this year, and California and Washington will make them mandatory next year.
The New York State Legislature passed a pay transparency bill similar to New York City's in June, but the governor has yet to sign it.
Chinese property owners reacted differently to the law.
The owner of a food store that is planning to recruit an accountant said that she has estimated the salary range of the recruitment position according to the market as required, and handed it over to the media that publishes recruitment advertisements, so that it can be used from the 1st.
Mr. Li, the owner of the advertising printing company, said that he planned to post a one-week recruitment advertisement. Now he has posted four days and three days left, but he has not heard of the "salary transparency law".
He says his usual practice is to interview candidates for compensation, which he thinks is more flexible and doesn't make him passive or embarrass his peers.
He believes that if they insist on implementing the "Wage Transparency Law", many employers may choose to pay the minimum hourly wage or a wide salary range.
Many Chinese open supermarkets, restaurants, and laundromats. Most of the owners pay their employees with reference to New York City’s minimum hourly wage. Moreover, these businesses rarely advertise publicly, so they feel that the new law has little impact.
(Hu Shengqiao)