A new law in New York City will eliminate everyone's least-favorite interview question

pulse

April 6, 2017 8:31 PM

In New York City, you can no longer ask candidates how much they made in their last role in job interviews.

group crowd city streets

"How much did you make in your last job?"

It's a question most people would rather skip over in a job interview.

Now New Yorkers might be able to do just that — permanently.

The New York City Council passed public advocate Letitia James's bill Wednesday, banning public and private employers from asking candidates about their previous salaries during the hiring process and taking a job candidate's pay history under consideration when coming up with a new salary offer.

Candidates can still offer up the information themselves if they wish.

The new legislation will affect 3.8 million workers, according to the Washington Post, and follows similar measures from Philadelphia, New Orleans, Puerto Rico, and Massachusetts. However, not all of the rulings have gone off without a hitch. Wednesday, Philly.com reported that Philadelphia's Chamber of Commerce pushed back against the wage ruling and stated plans to file a lawsuit against the city.

Business Insider has previously tackled how to dodge or respond to the salary query, as well as how employers might try to get their hands on your pay information. Recently, however, there's been a growing trend of municipalities attempting to legislate away the question themselves, in an effort to combat wage discrimination and the gender pay gap.

"Women represent half of our city's population and workforce; and yet we have been shortchanged by the very economic system that would not flourish without our contributions," council member and NYC Council Women's Caucus co-chair Laurie A. Cumbo said in a press release.

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