Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item: https://hdl.handle.net/10419/300961 
Year of Publication: 
2024
Series/Report no.: 
IZA Discussion Papers No. 17065
Publisher: 
Institute of Labor Economics (IZA), Bonn
Abstract: 
This study investigates whether the success of salary history bans could be limited by job-seekers volunteering their salaries unprompted. We survey American workers in 2019 and 2021 about their recent job searches, distinguishing when candidates were asked about salary history from when they were not. Historically well-paid workers may have an incentive to disclose, and employers who are aware of this could infer that non-disclosing workers are concealing low salaries. Through this mechanism, all workers could face pressure to avoid the stigma of silence. Our data shows a large percentage of workers (28%) volunteer salary history, even when a ban prevents employers from asking. An additional 47% will disclose if enough other job candidates disclose. Men are more likely than women to disclose their salaries unprompted, especially if they believe other candidates are disclosing. Over our 1.5-year sample covering jurisdictions with (and without) bans, unprompted volunteering of salary histories increased by about 6-8 percentage points.
Subjects: 
salary history bans
inequality
compensation
hiring
organizations
information economics
voluntary disclosure
statistical discrimination
JEL: 
D8
M51
J71
Document Type: 
Working Paper

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