Starting next month, Massachusetts employers will face new requirements designed to shine a brighter light on wages and hiring practices. A landmark Act Relative to Salary Range Transparency, signed into law by Governor Maura Healey in July 2024, takes effect on October 29, 2025.

The measure requires employers with 25 or more workers to disclose salary ranges in job postings and provide them upon request to current employees. Larger employers, those with 100 or more employees, will also be required to submit demographic workforce data to the state — information they already report to the federal government.

State officials and advocates say the law is intended to reduce pay inequities that persist across gender and racial lines. According to the U.S. Department of Labor, women in Massachusetts still earn about 83 cents for every dollar earned by men; the gap is wider for women of color. Proponents argue that transparency around pay is a necessary step to closing those disparities (U.S. DOL, 2024).

What the law requires

Under the new rules, employers with 25 or more employees must:

• Include the pay range in any job posting for a position.
• Provide the pay range to an applicant upon request.
• Share the pay range with current employees who ask about their role or who are being considered for a promotion or transfer.

For employers with 100 or more workers, the law also mandates the submission of federally required Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) reports to the Massachusetts Secretary of the Commonwealth. These reports include demographic data on race, ethnicity, sex, and job categories. While aggregated data will be published, individual employer filings will not be made public (Mintz, 2024).

“Employers will need to align their postings, internal policies, and HR systems with these new requirements,” said labor and employment attorney Jessica Jewell of Jackson Lewis, who has advised companies preparing for the change (Jackson Lewis, 2024).

Enforcement and penalties

The law grants enforcement authority to the Attorney General’s Office. Employers that fail to comply face escalating fines, starting with a warning for a first offense and moving up to $1,000 for repeat violations. Importantly, for the first two years — until October 29, 2027 — employers will have two business days to correct a violation after receiving notice (Mass.gov, 2025).

The statute also contains strong anti-retaliation provisions, making it unlawful for employers to penalize or discriminate against employees who ask about salary ranges or file complaints.

A growing national trend

Massachusetts joins a growing list of states adopting pay transparency measures. Similar laws are already in place in California, Colorado, New York, Rhode Island, and others, part of a national shift in workplace regulation. Early evidence from these states suggests transparency laws can reduce pay disparities, particularly for women and workers of color.

What employers should do now

Experts recommend that companies begin by reviewing their compensation structures and job postings. Employers should:

• Audit salary ranges for all positions to ensure they are set in “good faith.”
• Train HR staff and managers on how to handle pay range requests.
• Update job posting templates and third-party recruiter contracts.
• For larger employers, prepare systems to ensure timely and accurate EEO data reporting to state officials.

Key Provisions

1. Pay Range Disclosure
   • Employers (private or public) with 25 or more employees whose primary place of work is in Massachusetts must disclose the pay range (annual salary or hourly wage) in any job posting for a specific position. (Jackson Lewis)
   • The same employer must also provide the pay range to applicants, to employees upon request for their current position, and when offering promotions or transfers. (Mass.gov)
   • “Pay range” is the salary or hourly wage range the employer reasonably and in good faith expects to pay for that position at that time. Benefits, bonuses, commissions aren’t required. (Holland & Knight)
2. Wage/Workforce Data Reporting
   • Employers with 100 or more employees who are subject to federal EEO-reporting obligations must submit to the Secretary of the Commonwealth the same EEO reports they file federally. (Wagner Law Group)
   • Reports include demographic data (race, ethnicity, sex, job category). The state will publish aggregated data; individual employer reports are not public records. (Mintz)

Coverage & Timing

Penalties & Enforcement

• The Attorney General’s Office has enforcement authority. (Mass.gov)
• Violations escalate from a warning to monetary penalties; repeat violations can reach $1,000 and more under M.G.L. c. 149, § 27C. (AGO Guidance)
• For pay-range disclosure, employers have a 2-business-day cure period after notice, through October 29, 2027. (AGO Guidance)
• Anti-retaliation protections apply to applicants and employees. (Holland & Knight)