Pay transparency penalties by state
What a non-compliant posting actually costs. Penalties vary widely by jurisdiction — and by unit: some are per violation, Colorado counts per job, and Washington's old per-applicant regime no longer applies. Getting the unit right matters as much as the number.
This table lists only schedules we have verified against law-firm and regulator sources. States not listed here are not penalty-free — their schedules are simply not verified on this page yet.
| Jurisdiction | Penalty | Unit |
|---|---|---|
| California | $100–$10,000 | per violation |
| Colorado | $500–$10,000 | per violation — counted per job |
| New York State | $1,000 / $2,000 / $3,000 | per violation (1st / 2nd / 3rd+) |
| New York City | Up to $125,000 ($250,000 if willful) | per violation |
| New Jersey | Up to $300 / $600 | per violation (1st / subsequent) |
| Nevada | Up to $5,000 | per violation |
| Massachusetts | Warning → up to $25,000 | per violation (4th+ offenses) |
| Washington | $100–$5,000 + up to $1,000 administrative | per violation (current regime) |
Notes on each jurisdiction
California
Labor Commissioner civil penalty for posting violations. Note: the higher per-employee figures sometimes quoted for California apply to pay-data reporting failures, a different requirement — not to postings.
Colorado
One job counts as one violation no matter how many postings list it. The state currently prioritizes outreach and an opportunity to cure over fines.
New York State
Enforced by the New York State Department of Labor.
New York City
Enforced by the NYC Commission on Human Rights. A first violation can be cured within 30 days at no penalty.
New Jersey
Enforced by the New Jersey Department of Labor.
Nevada
Plus investigative costs and fees.
Massachusetts
Attorney General enforcement. A 2-business-day cure window applies in the first two years of the law.
Washington
Current regime from July 27, 2025 (SSB 5408), with a 5-business-day cure window through July 27, 2027. The old regime — $5,000 per applicant — produced 250+ class actions and was replaced because of them; do not use old-regime math for current postings.
Penalty schedules change; this is a summary, not legal advice. Settlements are not findings of violation, and a cured violation may carry no penalty at all in jurisdictions with cure windows.
The reason these numbers matter: our 2026 study found 17.1% of gradable large-employer postings failing at least one state requirement. Check yours before it becomes a penalty: grade your postings in bulk →