On Tuesday, Commissioner Lucero, along with University of Minnesota Law School Professor Jill Hasday, shared with state lawmakers how the Preventing Pay Discrimination Act will help close Minnesota’s pay gap. 

This bill would prevent employers from asking prospective employees about their pay history when they apply for a job.

Helping close the racial and gender pay gap

In 2019, white women made 80 cents to every dollar a man made in Minnesota, according to the National Women's Law Center. 

For women of color, the pay gap is substantially worse:

• Asian Women earned 71 cents 
• Black women earned 59 cents 
• Indigenous women earned 56 cents 
• Latinas earned 53 cents

Proven to Increase Pay

When Minnesota passes the Preventing Pay Discrimination Act, it will join a groundswell of states that have already ended the pay history question. 

In the 18 states¹ that have already ended the pay history question², pay is up 8% for all women and 13% for Black workers. 

More Information

For more information about Preventing Pay Discrimination Act, contact Eric Armacanqui at Eric.Armacanqui@state.mn.us. 

1. https://www.hrdive.com/news/salary-history-ban-states-list/516662/ 

2. Bessen, James E. and Meng, Chen and Denk, Erich, Perpetuating Inequality: What Salary History Bans Reveal About Wages (June 1, 2020). Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=3628729