Ohio Pay Transparency Laws
Cleveland
Beginning October 27, 2025, employers with 15 or more employees in Cleveland, Ohio will be prohibited from inquiring about an applicant's pay history and will be required to include pay ranges in job postings. Key details are included below:
Pay Range Postings
Employers need to include pay ranges in job notifications, advertisements, or other formal postings both within and outside Cleveland for potential employment in Cleveland (internal transfers and promotions are excluded). The posted pay range should be a reasonable estimate of what the employer expects to pay for that particular position when filled.
Pay Inquiries Prohibited
Employers can't request or require applicants to provide their pay history. They also can't screen applicants based on their pay history or require that their past compensation meet certain minimums or maximums. If an employer receives pay information accidentally, they can't rely solely on that information when deciding whether to offer the applicant the job or to determine how much they'll be paid.
Applicants are defined as those who are applying for a job that will be performed in Cleveland and whose application was solicited, considered, or processed in Cleveland.
The law doesn't apply to the following situations:
When an employee is transferred or promoted internally
When an applicant, without being asked, voluntarily discloses their pay history
When pay history is found during a background check (but even then, employers can't rely on it to determine compensation)
When a former employee is rehired and the employer already has their pay history on file
When a law specifically authorizes the employer to rely on pay history
Action Items:
Ensure each job posting has a good faith estimate of a position's pay range.
Train hiring managers not to ask about or use pay history.
Remove pay history questions from your job applications.
Columbus
Employers with 15 or more employees in Columbus, Ohio will be required to include pay ranges in all job postings. While the law is effective December 3, 2025, the city doesn't expect to actively enforce it until January 1, 2027.
Job postings are defined broadly and include any communication that describes a position or its qualifications. Job postings for internal transfers and promotions are excluded. The posting should include a pay range that's a reasonable estimate of what the employer expects to pay for that particular position as well as other types of monetary compensation, like commissions and bonuses.
The salary range should be based on factors specific to the position, such as:
Budget for the role
Expected years of experience
Cost of living
If an employer plans to pay an exact amount (rather than within a range), that should be included in the posting.
Action Item:
Ensure job postings include the necessary compensation information.