H.R. 2219 would prohibit employers from asking job applicants about their salary and benefit history or using that information to make hiring or pay decisions. The bill amends the Fair Labor Standards Act to make it illegal for employers to require applicants' prior wages as a condition of employment or to base new job offers on past pay—with a narrow exception allowing employers to use salary history only if a candidate voluntarily shares it after receiving a job offer to negotiate for higher pay. The legislation applies to all employers and job applicants, protecting workers from being locked into lower wages based on their previous earnings. Violations carry civil penalties of $5,000 for a first offense, increasing by $1,000 per subsequent violation up to $10,000, plus employees can sue for damages up to $10,000 and attorney's fees. The bill contains no specific funding or implementation timeline, as it primarily creates new legal prohibitions and enforcement mechanisms within existing federal labor law.
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