🎙️ Navigating the Pay Transparency Patchwork: What Employers Need to Know for 2026

Pay Transparency Requirements: Key Takeaways

This Jackson Lewis podcast discusses the evolving pay transparency landscape as employers head into 2026.

Current State:

• Pay transparency laws create an inconsistent, complex patchwork across states
• Requirements vary widely: some mandate full salary ranges, others only starting pay; some require detailed benefits disclosures, others minimal information
• Recent example: Washington requires full pay ranges while California amended its law to require only starting pay ranges

What's Coming in 2026:

• More states and cities expected to adopt pay transparency laws (New Jersey, Vermont, Massachusetts recently joined)
• Existing states will issue more detailed guidance
• Pay data reporting requirements emerging (e.g., NYC considering annual reports by race/gender)
• Increased enforcement from states like Washington and Colorado

Key Challenges:

• Execution and compliance across multiple jurisdictions, not conceptual understanding
• Short cure periods (2-5 days in some states)
• Tracking remote workforce locations
• Coordinating across legal, HR, compensation, and recruiting teams

Recommendations:

1. Define your organizational culture around transparency - decide whether to disclose only what's required, exceed requirements for simplicity, or maximize transparency everywhere
2. Build scalable infrastructure and centralize data systems rather than relying on manual processes
3. Take proactive steps now - don't wait for enforcement
4. Enable cross-functional collaboration among teams

The overarching message: pay transparency isn't going away and will only expand.