Wage History Ban

A wage history ban, as proposed by the Paycheck Fairness Act, is a legal provision that prohibits employers from asking job applicants about their previous salary or wage history during the hiring process. It also prevents employers from using an applicant's prior wage information to determine their starting salary. The purpose of such a ban is to prevent historical pay discrimination from perpetuating itself, ensuring that new employees are compensated based on the value of the job and their qualifications, rather than on potentially discriminatory past earnings.

A provision of the EPOA that prohibits employers from inquiring about a job applicant's wage or salary history, or from requiring that an applicant's prior wages meet certain criteria. This measure aims to prevent historical pay discrimination from perpetuating lower wages for individuals, particularly women and minorities, in new employment.