Salary History Question Prohibition Act

Protection against wage-based hiring criteria: Under Section 2(a)(1), employers would be prohibited from requiring that a prospective employee's prior wages meet certain minimum or maximum criteria to be considered for a job.

Limitations on pay determination: According to Section 2(a)(2), employers are generally prohibited from relying on wage history to determine a prospective employee's wages, unless the employee voluntarily provides it to support a higher wage after a compensation offer is made.

Prevention of invasive inquiries: Section 2(a)(3) prohibits employers from seeking a prospective employee's wage history from them or their previous employers, except for confirming information provided voluntarily after an offer is made.

Protection from retaliation: Section 2(a)(4) makes it unlawful to discharge or retaliate against any employee or prospective employee who opposes the practices prohibited by this section or takes action regarding forbidden discrimination.

Financial recourse for violations: Section 2(b) allows affected employees or prospective employees to seek special damages up to $10,000 plus attorney's fees if an employer violates these provisions.

Civil penalties for employers: Under Section 2(b)(1)(A), employers who violate these provisions may face a civil penalty of $5,000 for a first offense, which increases by $1,000 for each subsequent offense up to $10,000.

Liability and legal costs: Section 2(b)(1)(B) states that employers may be liable to employees or prospective employees for special damages not to exceed $10,000 plus attorney's fees and may be subject to injunctive relief.