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Do You Have to Post a Salary Range in Massachusetts Job Postings?

Yes — since October 29, 2025, Massachusetts generally requires employers with 25 or more employees in the state to include a pay range in job postings, including postings placed through recruiters or job boards. The requirement comes from the Frances Perkins Workplace Equity Act and is enforced by the state Attorney General, with escalating penalties for repeat violations.

Massachusetts joined the mandatory pay-transparency states with the Frances Perkins Workplace Equity Act, signed in July 2024. As of October 29, 2025, covered employers — generally those with 25 or more employees whose primary place of work is Massachusetts — must include a pay range in job postings: the annual salary or hourly wage range the employer reasonably and in good faith expects to pay at the time of posting. The same range must be shared with employees offered a promotion or transfer, and with applicants or current employees who ask.

The reach is wider than many out-of-state recruiters expect. Attorney General guidance indicates the law applies to out-of-state employers whose Massachusetts headcount crosses the threshold, and to remote roles that report to a Massachusetts worksite. A posting that says only 'competitive salary, DOE' for a covered Boston role generally falls short — even if it was placed by a staffing agency on the employer's behalf.

The good news: enforcement starts gently. First offenses draw a warning, postings within the same 48-hour window count as a single offense, and during the law's two-year grace period — which the session law runs through October 29, 2027 — employers get two business days to cure after notice from the Attorney General. But fines escalate with repetition — up to $25,000 for fourth and subsequent offenses — so the cheapest fix is catching the missing range before the posting goes live. Confirm current rules with counsel; guidance is still evolving.

Risky phrasing

“Staff Accountant — Worcester, MA (hybrid). Competitive salary commensurate with experience, plus excellent benefits. Salary discussed at interview.”

Compliant rewrite

Staff Accountant — Worcester, MA (hybrid). Pay range: $68,000–$84,000 per year, the range we reasonably and in good faith expect to pay for this role. Final offer depends on experience. Health, dental, and 401(k) offered.

The law at a glance

Law
Frances Perkins Workplace Equity Act (An Act Relative to Salary Range Transparency)Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 149, § 105F (added by Chapter 141 of the Acts of 2024, § 7)
In effect
October 29, 2025 (pay-range posting requirement); the wage-data reporting duty for larger employers began earlier, with a February 1, 2025 first filing deadline
Who’s covered
Employers — public or private, in-state or out-of-state — with 25 or more employees (full- or part-time) whose primary place of work is in Massachusetts
Penalties
Enforcement is graduated: a warning for a first offense, a fine of up to $500 for a second, up to $1,000 for a third, and for fourth or subsequent offenses civil penalties that can reach $25,000 under Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 149, § 27C. The Massachusetts Attorney General enforces the law.

What that means for a posting

  • Include a pay range in every posting for a covered position: the annual salary range or hourly wage range you reasonably and in good faith expect to pay for the role at the time of posting.
  • The rule covers postings made directly or through a third party — recruiting firms, staffing agencies, and job boards included.
  • Provide the pay range to a current employee who is offered a promotion or a transfer to a new position with different responsibilities.
  • Share the pay range with an applicant for a position, or an employee who holds it, whenever they ask.
  • Where pay includes commissions, tips, or piece rates, state guidance indicates information about that anticipated pay should be disclosed as well.
  • Employers with 100 or more Massachusetts employees that file federal EEO reports must also submit copies to the state — EEO-1 filers annually by February 1.

Remote and out-of-state postings

The law reaches beyond state lines. According to the Attorney General's FAQ guidance, out-of-state employers must comply if they have 25 or more employees whose primary place of work is Massachusetts — and remote workers who telecommute to a Massachusetts worksite count toward that headcount. Posting obligations apply to remote positions that report to a Massachusetts worksite and to roles performed by workers whose primary place of work is Massachusetts, so a fully remote posting can still be covered. When in doubt, including the range is the lower-risk path.

How it’s actually enforced

The Attorney General's office has exclusive authority to enforce the posting rules — firm analyses uniformly note the law gives individuals no general right to sue over a missing range — and the statute is deliberately warning-first: a first offense draws a warning, and all non-compliant postings published by the same employer within a 48-hour window count as a single offense rather than stacking. The session law itself (Chapter 141 of the Acts of 2024, Section 10) gives covered employers 2 business days after notice of a violation to cure the defect before any fine is imposed, for the first two years after the posting rules took effect — through October 29, 2027. (A few firm alerts describe a shorter, one-year window, but the statutory text says two years; either way, treat the cure period as a courtesy rather than a plan.) The practical takeaway as of this writing: early enforcement is oriented toward correction, but repeat non-compliance carries real exposure.

Common follow-ups

Does the law apply to remote jobs or out-of-state employers?+

Often, yes. Attorney General guidance indicates the law applies to out-of-state employers with 25 or more employees whose primary place of work is Massachusetts, and covers remote positions that report to a Massachusetts worksite or are worked primarily from Massachusetts. A company with no Massachusetts presence hiring a remote worker elsewhere generally isn't covered — but if the role could sit in Massachusetts, including a range is the safer call.

Do postings through staffing agencies or job boards count?+

Yes. The statute defines a posting as any advertisement or job posting intended to recruit for a particular position, whether made directly by the employer or through a third party — so a recruiter's or agency's posting without a range is generally still the employer's compliance problem.

Can an applicant sue me if my posting has no salary range?+

Generally no — enforcement of the posting rules sits with the Attorney General, and firm analyses note the law does not give individuals a general right to sue over a missing range. Retaliation is different: the law prohibits punishing anyone for asking about pay ranges, and analyses indicate retaliation claims can support private action. Confirm specifics with counsel.

Do I have to include bonuses, commissions, or benefits in the range?+

The required disclosure is the annual salary or hourly wage range you reasonably and in good faith expect to pay — the statute does not require benefits, bonuses, or equity in the range itself. That said, state guidance indicates that where pay includes commissions, tips, or piece rates, information about that anticipated pay should be disclosed too.

Does this apply to internal promotions and transfers?+

Yes. Covered employers generally must provide the pay range to a current employee who is offered a promotion or a transfer to a new position with different job responsibilities — not just to outside applicants.

What actually happens if the Attorney General finds a violation?+

First offenses draw a warning, and under the session law's two-year grace period (through October 29, 2027) employers who receive a notice of violation get two business days to fix the posting before any fine. Fines then escalate: up to $500 for a second offense, up to $1,000 for a third, and up to $25,000 for fourth and later offenses. Helpfully, all violating postings within a 48-hour window count as one offense.

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Sources

Last reviewed July 8, 2026. Laws change — always confirm current rules for your jurisdiction.FairHire is an informational tool, not legal advice. Have qualified counsel review your hiring questions before use.

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