You're about to post a job opening. Your startup is in Texas. You're hiring for a remote role. Someone asks: "Do we need to include the salary range?" You think: "Texas doesn't require it, so no, right?"

Most founders think: "We'll follow the law in our state and we're good." What they don't realize: pay transparency laws follow the candidate's location, not yours. If you're in Texas hiring someone who could work from Colorado, you must comply with Colorado's law, which is one of the most comprehensive in the country. And even if compliance isn't required, posting salaries might be the smartest competitive move you make.

The expensive truth: Founders who don't understand pay transparency laws face penalties of $100-$10,000 per posting in California, up to $250,000 in NYC, and thousands per violation in Colorado and Washington. But the bigger cost? Top candidates skip job postings without salary ranges. You're losing talent to competitors who are transparent, whether legally required or not.

Here's what you must disclose in each state, whether you need to post jobs in specific places to comply, and whether you should include salaries even when not required.

Who must comply: All public and private employers with at least one employee

What you must include in job postings:

Additional Colorado-specific requirements (not just posting):

When it applies: Jobs that can be performed in Colorado (including remote roles)

Penalties: Enforcement through Colorado Department of Labor complaint process

Example - 8-person startup, Texas, hiring remote:

You post: "Software Engineer - Remote"

If someone in Colorado could do this job remotely, you must include:

Compensation: $110,000 - $140,000/year

Benefits: Medical, dental, vision insurance (employer pays 80% of premium),

401(k) with 3% match, unlimited PTO, $2,000/year professional development budget

 How to apply: Submit resume and cover letter to [email] by [date]

You must also: Notify all current employees about this job opening before making a hiring decision.

Who must comply: Employers with 15 or more employees

What you must include:

"Pay scale" defined as a "good faith estimate of the salary or hourly range that the employer reasonably expects to pay for the position upon hire" (effective January 1, 2026)

What this means: You can't post "$50,000 - $200,000" anymore. Overly broad or placeholder ranges may be treated as non-compliant during enforcement reviews.

Good faith estimate = what you'll actually pay the new hire when they start, not the theoretical maximum someone in that role could eventually earn.

When it applies: Jobs performed in California (including remote roles based in CA)

Penalties: $100 to $10,000 per violation. The first violation can be waived, depending on your circumstances.

Record-keeping: Keep records of employees' job titles and rates throughout their employment and for three more years after termination

Example - 12-person startup, Florida, hiring in California:

Non-compliant (as of 2026): "Marketing Manager - $60,000 - $180,000" (Too broad - not what you'll actually pay on hire)

Compliant: "Marketing Manager - $85,000 - $105,000" (Reflects actual range for new hire based on experience)

New York City:

Who must comply: Employers with at least four employees must disclose salary ranges in job advertisements for jobs performed in the city

What you must include: Salary range for the position

Penalties: Initial violation will not incur a fine if it is remedied within 30 days. Unremedied and subsequent violations may lead to a penalty of up to $250,000.

Other NY jurisdictions: Ithaca requires all employers with four or more employees to publish the salary range for each new job

When it applies: Jobs performed in NYC (including remote roles where someone in NYC would perform the work)

Example - 6-person startup, Colorado, hiring for NYC role:

"Customer Success Manager - New York City (remote ok) Salary: $75,000 - $95,000/year"

Current status: NO state-level pay transparency law requiring salary disclosure in job postings

What this means: If you're in Texas hiring for Texas-only roles, you're not legally required to post salary ranges

BUT: If you're hiring remote and someone in Colorado, California, or New York could do the job, you must comply with those states' laws

Current status: NO state-level pay transparency law

What this means: Same as Texas - no requirement for Florida-only roles, but must comply with other states' laws for remote positions

This is where most founders get confused.

The rule: If the remote role could be filled by someone living in a state with pay transparency laws (like New York or California), you must comply with that state's disclosure requirements, even if your company is based in Florida

Scenario - Startup in Florida:

Job Post A: "Software Engineer - Must be based in Florida" → No salary range required (Florida has no law)

Job Post B: "Software Engineer - Remote (US)" → Salary range required (someone in CO/CA/NY could apply)

Job Post C: "Software Engineer - Remote (TX, FL only)" → No salary range required (TX and FL have no laws)

The practical reality: Most startups post "Remote (US)" to access widest talent pool. This triggers compliance with the most restrictive states' laws.

Option 1: Post salary range for all remote jobs (safest, recommended)

Option 2: Restrict remote roles to states without requirements (limits talent pool significantly)

Option 3: Post multiple versions of same job with geographic restrictions (operationally complex, looks bad)

Short answer: No, pay transparency laws don't require posting on specific job boards.

The laws require disclosure in "job postings" or "job advertisements" - they don't specify LinkedIn vs. Indeed vs. your website.

What counts as a "job posting":

What doesn't trigger requirements:

Example - 10-person startup, New York:

Compliant approach:

Non-compliant approach:

This is the strategic question Texas and Florida founders should ask.

Reasons to post salary ranges (even when not required):

Recruiters report fewer misaligned candidates thanks to upfront pay ranges—improving efficiency and reducing interview cycles

Without range:

With range:

Ambitious people think: "If they're hiding the salary, it's probably below market. I'm not wasting time applying to find out they pay $80K for a $120K role."

Your competitors who post salaries get the same candidates faster.

The organizations scrambling over these deadlines don't have a transparency problem. They have a compensation architecture problem that's been masked by opacity

If you can't post a salary range, it means:

Posting ranges forces discipline: "What should this role pay? Why? How does it compare to similar roles internally?"

Example - 15-person startup, Texas (no requirement):

Founder decides to post salaries anyway:

Job post: "Sales Manager - Austin or Remote Base: $90,000 - $110,000 OTE: $150,000 - $180,000 (with commission) Equity: 0.1% - 0.25%"

What happens:

❌ "We want flexibility to pay more for great candidates" → You can still pay at high end of range or above for exceptional people

❌ "Current employees will see we're paying new hires more" → They'll find out anyway. Better to fix your internal equity now.

❌ "Competitors will see what we pay" → They already know approximately. Market rate data is public.

❌ "We want to negotiate based on candidate's previous salary" → Many states ban salary history questions anyway. Plus this perpetuates pay inequity.

Ask:

Colorado/California requirement: Good faith estimate of what you'll pay THE NEW HIRE, not theoretical maximum

How to determine:

Question 1: What's the minimum you'd pay someone with minimum qualifications?

Question 2: What's the maximum you'd pay someone with maximum qualifications (but still new to company)?

That's your range.

Example - Engineering role:

Minimum: New grad with 1 year experience = $95,000 Maximum: Senior with 5 years experience = $140,000

Range to post: $95,000 - $140,000

Don't post: $95,000 - $200,000 (the $200K is what they might make in 5 years after promotions - that's not the new hire range)

Minimum compliant job posting (Colorado/California/NYC):

[Job Title] - [Location]

 Compensation: $[min] - $[max] [per year/hour]

 [If California or Colorado, add:]

Benefits: [List major benefits]

 [Job description]

 How to apply: [Instructions]

Example:

Senior Product Manager - Remote (US)

 Compensation: $130,000 - $165,000/year

 Benefits: Medical, dental, vision insurance (company pays 90%), 401(k)

with 4% match, unlimited PTO, $3,000/year learning budget, home office

stipend

 [Rest of job description]

 To apply: Send resume and portfolio to [email protected] by April 15, 2026

Post the SAME range on:

Don't:

Colorado has specific requirements:

Employees in positions with defined career progressions must be informed of advancement requirements and compensation for each level of progression

What this means:

If you have a career ladder (Junior → Mid-Level → Senior → Lead), you must tell employees:

Example - 20-person startup, Colorado:

Career Progression for Engineering:

Junior Engineer: $85K - $105K

Requirements: 0-2 years experience, completes tickets, code reviews

Mid-Level Engineer: $110K - $135K 

Requirements: 2-4 years experience, leads small projects, mentors juniors

Senior Engineer: $140K - $170K

Requirements: 4-7 years experience, architects systems, owns domains

Lead Engineer: $175K - $210K

Requirements: 7+ years experience, sets technical direction, manages team

You must share this with eligible employees so they know how to advance.

Non-compliant (everywhere with pay transparency laws): "Competitive salary based on experience"

Compliant: "$90,000 - $115,000 depending on experience"

Non-compliant in CA (as of Jan 2026): "$60,000 - $180,000" (This isn't what you'll actually pay a new hire)

Compliant: "$85,000 - $110,000" (Reflects actual hiring range)

Non-compliant in Colorado: "Salary: $100,000 - $120,000"

Compliant: "Salary: $100,000 - $120,000 Benefits: Health insurance, 401(k) match, PTO"

Non-compliant in Colorado: Post job externally, hire someone, current employees find out after

Compliant:

State-by-state compliance:

Colorado: Salary range + benefits + notify current employees (ALL employers) California: Good faith salary range (15+ employees) - tightened Jan 2026 New York City: Salary range (4+ employees) Texas: No requirement Florida: No requirement

Remote work rule: If job can be done from CO/CA/NY, their laws apply regardless of where your company is based

Strategic recommendation: Post salary ranges even when not required. You'll get better candidates, save time, and build compensation discipline.

Three actions this week:

Pay transparency is the future. Even if your state doesn't require it today, it probably will soon. Build the habit now.

And remember: Companies embracing clarity experience stronger applicant engagement, reduced turnover, and improved employer brand perception

Transparency isn't just compliance. It's competitive advantage.

This content is provided for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice; for guidance on your specific situation, please consult with an employment attorney licensed in your state.