Media Advisory
Workplace Fairness Updates – New Laws for the New Year: Updates to Minimum Wage and Salary History Information
For Journalists
WHAT:
Workplace Fairness has up to date information resources on the laws regarding new minimum wage requirements, and salary history laws across the country.
The minimum wage page on the Workplace Fairness website explains what minimum wage is and how it might affect your readers. It details who the Fair Labor Standards Act covers, as well as what wage applies for probationary periods, minors and training. It also links to resources for readers to get more information about federal and state minimum wage laws.
- What is the federal minimum wage?
- Which federal law(s) cover payment of a minimum wage?
- Who is covered by minimum wage laws?
- Which employers does the law cover?
- If my state's minimum wage is higher than the federal minimum wage, what is my employer required to pay me?
- Am I covered by my state's minimum wage law?
- Can my employer pay me less for certain hours or average my pay?
- I am paid a salary. Does the minimum wage law apply to me?
- I am paid a commission. Does the minimum wage law apply to me?
- I am paid a piece rate for the amount of goods I produce. Does the minimum wage law apply to me?
The salary history page answers questions about whether a job applicant has to answer questions about salary history and how to handle the situation if they don’t want to answer. This topic has become more relevant to job seekers as some jurisdictions have begun to prohibit salary history questions on job applications.
- Why do employers ask for your previous salary?
- Are employers allowed to ask me about my salary history?
- Do I have to answer questions about my previous salary?
- Why do many people choose not to disclose their previous salary?
- The job description doesn't contain a salary range. Should I inquire about the salary range before applying for the job?
- How do I answer salary questions on job applications?
- What can I do before my interview to help me prepare for this question?
- Is it okay to lie about my salary history?
- What are some polite ways of avoiding answering about my salary history?
- What if the employer is really persistent?
- Do employers have to report pay data to the public or any government agency?
WHO:
Workplace Fairness is a nonprofit organization that provides information, education and assistance to individual workers and their advocates nationwide and promotes public policies that advance employee rights.
WHERE: On the Workplace Fairness website / https://www.workplacefairness.org
PRIVATE INTERVIEW OPPORTUNITIES:
Individual interviews with Workplace Fairness Staff and members of the Board of Directors can be scheduled to discuss workplace issues for workers and employers.
Media Contact:
Paula Brantner, Senior Advisor
240-772-1205
paula@workplacefairness.org
https://www.workplacefairness.org/
About Workplace Fairness
Workplace Fairness is a nonprofit organization that provides information, education and assistance to individual workers and their advocates nationwide and promotes public policies that advance employee rights.
Our goals are that workers and their advocates are educated about workplace rights and options for resolving workplace problems and those policymakers, members of the business community and the public at large view the fair treatment of workers as both good business practice and sound public policy.
Workplace Fairness works toward these goals by:
- Making comprehensive information about workers' rights—free of legal jargon—readily available to workers and to advocates and organizations that assist workers;
- Providing resources to support the work of legal services organizations, community-based organizations, law schools and private attorneys that provide free legal information and services to low-income workers;
- Presenting the employee perspective in publications, policy debates and public discussion.
A 2017 Webby Award Honoree, the award-winning Workplace Fairness website has newly updated information throughout the site, as part of the web's most comprehensive resource educating workers about their legal rights in the workplace.
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