North Cook News

Rep. Mary Beth Canty celebrated the signing of House Bill 3129 into law in an Aug. 14 Facebook post. The bill requires businesses with 15 or more employees to put wages and benefits in their job postings when hiring new employees.

"On Friday, Gov. JB Pritzker signed HB3129 into law," Canty wrote. "This policy will require businesses with 15+ employees to include wages and benefits in job postings. This practice will make hiring more efficient and will help close the gender wage gap, which impacts women of color more than anyone. It will level the playing field in salary negotiations, allowing employees to receive equal pay for equal work."

House Bill 3129 requires “an employer with 15 or more employees” to include the pay scale for a position in any job posting. Also, “if an employer with 15 or more employees engages a third party to announce, post, publish or otherwise make known a job posting, the employer shall provide the pay scale to the third party, and the third party shall include the pay scale in the job posting.”

Canty first filed the bill with the clerk on Feb. 16, and it moved to the Senate on March 27. It passed both Houses on May 17, then went to Pritzker’s office on March 15. It was signed into law on Aug. 11 and became Public Act 103-0539.

JD Supra reported that “an employer can either provide pay scale and benefits information in each job posting, or it can provide a hyperlink in each posting that directs job seekers to a website containing this information.” It also notes that there are two types of positions subject to these requirements. Those are “positions where work will be physically performed at least in part in Illinois, and positions where work will be performed outside the state, but reports to a supervisor or work site in the state.” JD Supra also shows the penalties for employers who do not post pay scale and benefits in active listings: A $500 penalty if not fixed in 14 days; a penalty up to $2,500 if a second offense isn’t fixed within seven days, and the third offense brings a fine not to exceed $10,000.

Canty was elected to the represent the people of the 54th District in 2022, according to her website. She is an attorney. Her experience as an elected official includes a position on the Arlington Heights Village Board of Trustees in 2019, and an appointment to the board of directors of the Regional Transportation Authority (RTA), which she held until her election to the Illinois General Assembly.