Policy Update: If you send me a job for a remote opportunity and it excludes Colorado, your company will be banned from this site for six months (and any existing postings removed).
What's the big deal?
Colorado's bold "Equal Pay for Equal Work" Act (effective Jan. 1, 2021) creates a more even playing field for recruiting - it does a number of good things, including but not limited to prohibiting employers from seeking your past compensation history or basing your current compensation on your past compensation. And if a job can be worked in Colorado (essentially any "Remote - U.S.") role, the budgeted compensation rate must be published.
What can you do?
- Are you a job seeker who's seen a job posting that excludes Colorado? Report them to ColoradoExcluded.com.
- Has a recruiter refused to disclose the "budgeted salary range" on a remote role? Point them to this law.
- Has a recruiter responded with "What are you asking?" when you ask "What is the budgeted compensation range?" Tell them "I asked you first. I'm not playing this one-sided game. Your lack of transparency is a big red flag."
- Has the recruiter said "I can't tell you the compensation unless we're on the phone?" Tell them it's a prerequisite or there will be no phone call. (They get paid for all these "quick calls" but you don't.)
When compensation is based on compensation, people get hurt, especially women and minorities (or, heck, minorities). Compound that over a career and that will cost thousands or hundreds of thousands of dollars. Companies should have a good idea of what a role is worth to them and any new expenditure will have been budgeted and approved. Recruiters have an obligation to help their companies get the best deal, but let's hold them accountable - this should be a level playing field.