What is the reason that companies should refrain from asking applicants about their past earnings history to determine a salary offer?

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BlackTom AI · Accepted Answer

The question asks for the rationale behind refraining from asking applicants about past earnings when determining a salary offer.
Option 1: 'Using this information can "lock-in" past pay discrimination.' This is the key point: basing pay on past earnings can perpetuate historical inequities and discrimination, preventing fair compensation based on current qualifications and market rates. It supports pay equity by avoiding the carry-over of prior unequal pay.
Option 2: 'Earnings are highly sensitive to market conditions.' While market conditions do influence pay, this statement does not address the core reason for avoiding past earnings inquiries, which is to prevent reproducing past discrimination and inequities in compensation. It tangentially relates but is not the central justification.
Option 3: 'It is illegal at a federal level in the United States.' This is not accurate in general; federal law does not categorically prohibit asking about prior earnings, though some states and localities have restrictions. Since the claim is overbroad and factually incorrect, this option is not a valid reason.
Option 4: 'It creates artificially low wages in comparison to competitors.' This is not a standard consequence of asking about past earnings. The concern is not about asserting lower wages against competitors, but about perpetuating an inequitable baseline based on prior pay.
Option 5: 'It can cause candidates to quit the application process.' While it could deter some applicants, the primary reason policy statements emphasize is to avoid perpetuating past discrimination and to promote fair, merit-based offers, not simply candidate attrition.

HRIR 3021 (004/005) Exam Three - Requires Respondus LockDown Browser

What is the reason that companies should refrain from asking applicants about their past earnings history to determine a salary offer?

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