Under California's salary-history ban (Labor Code §432.3), an employer generally may NOT:
Explanation
Labor Code §432.3(a) forbids relying on salary history as a factor in deciding whether to offer employment or what to pay, and §432.3(b) forbids seeking that history orally, in writing, personally or through an agent. (d) is the inverse of a prohibition and is in fact a duty: §432.3(c) requires the employer to supply the pay scale for the position on reasonable request by an applicant, so an employer refusing that is also violating the section. (a) and (b) are ordinary lawful inquiries. Note the carve-out in §432.3(g)-(h): an applicant may volunteer salary history without prompting, and the employer may then consider it - but it cannot be solicited.
Law Reference: Labor Code §432.3(a), (b), (c)This topic, taught in full in the CSLB Law & Business guide. CSLB Law & Business — Complete Study Guide (2026) — PDF + EPUB, $24.99 · 14-day refund →
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