(Last Updated On: October 13, 2025)
What is pay transparency in Massachusetts, and what do employers in the Boston and Natick areas need to know about it? In July 2024, Governor Healy signed a new pay transparency law titled “An Act Relative to Salary Range Transparency,” also known in brief as the Wage Transparency Act. Since the law was signed, it has been taking effect over the past year. One of the most sweeping components of the bill takes effect October 29, 2025, requiring all employers in Massachusetts with 25 or more employees to provide information about pay or wage ranges in job advertisements, as well as to job applicants and current employees.
While very small employers in Massachusetts will not need to meet new requirements under the Wage Transparency Act, any employer with 25 or more employees will need to familiarize themselves with the new law in order to remain in compliance. Our Boston and Natick employment law attorneys can provide you with more information about the Wage Transparency Act and the details that you should know as an employer in Massachusetts.
Majority of Massachusetts Businesses Will Need to Comply with the Wage Transparency Act
Beginning on October 29, 2025, all employers in Massachusetts with 25 or more employees will be required “to disclose wage ranges in job postings, to applicants, and current employees upon request.” The US Small Business Administration (SBA) generally considers employers with under 100 employees in Massachusetts to be “small businesses,” and a large majority of businesses in the state have more than 20 employees. Data on Massachusetts from the SBA shows that only about 12 percent of employers in the state have fewer than 20 employees, and all of those employers with 25 or more employees will need to adhere to the requirements set forth in the Wage Transparency Act.
For larger businesses, part of the Wage Transparency Act has already been in effect since February 1, 2025. Employers with 100 or more employees that are subject to federal filing requirements must submit workforce demographic data annually in an EEO report to the Secretary of the Commonwealth.
Why is Wage Transparency Important?
The aim of the new law is to reduce pay discrimination in Massachusetts. According to the Massachusetts Office of the Attorney General, research on pay transparency “shows that salary range transparency in the hiring process is one of the best tools to close gender and racial wage gaps.” In addition, wage transparency has been shown to build trust in workplaces among employers and employees, allowing employers to have a stable workforce.
Implications of the New Law for Employers
We discussed the broad requirements of the new law above, but it is important for small, medium-sized, and large businesses alike in Massachusetts to understand the implications of the law on their business. Consider the following:
- If you have 25 or more employees, you are required to disclose the pay range for any job you advertise;
- If you have 25 or more employees, both prospective employees and current employees have a right to information about the pay range for new positions or for positions that would involve a promotion or transfer;
- If you have 25 or more employees, your current employees have the right to request the pay range for their current job from you, and there are protections against retaliation in the Wage Transparency Act for any employees who do make this request; and
- If you have 100 or more employees, you must submit an annual EEO report to the Secretary of the Commonwealth.
Contact a Massachusetts Employment Discrimination Attorney Representing Clients in Boston and Natick
If your business is planning to advertise new jobs, it is essential to understand the requirements for pay ranges in job advertisements and to ensure that your business is in compliance. If you have any questions about what you can and cannot say in a job advertisement, including language that could be construed as discriminatory and could be in violation of state or federal law, it is important to seek advice from an employment law attorney serving employers in Boston and Natick. We can speak with you to learn more about your business’s needs and to draft or review any job advertisements to ensure that you are in compliance with all relevant laws. If any issues do arise and you receive a complaint or allegation, we may also be able to represent you in a range of employment law matters in Massachusetts. Contact Rodman Employment Law to learn more about the services we provide to employers in the Boston and Natick areas.
