And yet it's still better than a system where you don't have to tell prospective candidates anything at all. I'd much rather have the knowledge that they want to hire me towards the low end of their own advertised range than have no information at all.
That workaround doesn't actually work, not legally. The Colorado law specifies that the pay range has to be reasonable and they will review and cite businesses that try to pull that if a complaint is made. The NYC-specific law also worked the same. I imagine the NY State law will have a similar provision.
I can get maybe blocking one state but New York AND Colorado? I'm sure California or some other larger, more progressive state will eventually make the swap too. Eventually you start cutting yourself off from not just large swaths of the american workforce, but also disproportionately from the types of hires you need (assuming remote hires still).
According to the article, California already has a similar law. I didn't dig into the details of it. Relevant bit:
A similar pay transparency ordinance has been in effect in New York City since 2022. Now, the rest of the state joins a handful of others with similar laws, including California and Colorado.
I think one long term effect of this would be driving up wages outside of states that require posted salaries, at least for some positions in some industries. There probably aren't enough businesses signing on to this idea to make much of a dent though.
As a business, you're effectively reducing your own labor pool. Either way it feels like the corporate equivalent of cutting off your nose to spite your face.
Probably the same idiots whining that "no one wants to work anymore" (cue worlds tiniest violin).