Pay range laws give job hunters a new raise lever
Virginia and Maine expand salary-disclosure rules as experts urge applicants to use posted ranges, market data and practice runs to bargain smarter.
By Frankie Delgado · News Reporter
3 min read
Job hunters in more places can now see the money before they sit through the interview.
Virginia began requiring many employers to list pay ranges in job ads on July 1, according to the Virginia Department of Labor and Industry. Maine’s rule is scheduled to take effect July 29, according to Maine Department of Labor materials. Together, the additions bring salary-transparency laws to 18 states and Washington, D.C., MarketWatch reported.
Career experts say the change gives applicants a cleaner starting point in talks that used to favor employers. Keith Spencer, a career expert at ResumeNow, told MarketWatch that disclosure rules can help reduce wage discrimination and narrow pay gaps affecting groups including women and people of color.
Jan Hendrik von Ahlen, managing director and employment expert at JobLeads, told MarketWatch that candidates without a range can guess too low and miss thousands of dollars, or ask far beyond a company’s budget and lose the role.
Why the first number matters
The opening salary can shape years of earnings because future raises and bonuses build from that base. Carnegie Mellon University economist Linda Babcock told NPR that failing to negotiate early in a career can cost workers between $1 million and $1.5 million over a lifetime.
Many workers still skip the ask. Resume Genius found that 45% of workers negotiate their starting salary, while 55% do not.
Experts cited by MarketWatch recommend using the listed range as one data point, then checking similar roles on Indeed, Glassdoor and Reddit message boards. Spencer advised candidates to keep doing outside research and not rely on one posted band alone.
After that research, applicants should not automatically aim for the middle, according to the experts. Von Ahlen said the top end reflects money the company has budgeted for the job, so candidates seeking that level should explain why their record fits it.
That means using specifics: years in the field, past results and experience that exceeds the posting’s requirements. Von Ahlen said arguments based on feeling underpaid or facing a high cost of living are weaker than concrete accomplishments.
What to do with a giant range
Some employers have posted very broad ranges, such as $80,000 to $160,000, MarketWatch reported. Career experts said that can weaken the goal of transparency laws, especially when the top is double the bottom.
Von Ahlen told MarketWatch that candidates should treat an unusually wide band as a reason to ask what separates someone paid near the low end from someone paid near the high end.
Salary visibility can also save both sides time. Spencer said it allows applicants to skip roles that do not meet their pay needs and helps employers focus on candidates whose expectations fit the budget.
Experts cited by MarketWatch generally do not advise asking for more than the published range. They do suggest trying to improve the total package through bonuses, additional vacation or remote-work flexibility.
Practice before the pitch
Some applicants are using AI tools such as Claude and ChatGPT to rehearse salary talks. Kevin Grunewald, a talent acquisition and recruiting professional with 10 years of experience, recommends giving a chatbot the job description, salary target and company details, then asking it to play a hiring manager who pushes back with budget limits, market-rate arguments and experience concerns.
Voice modes can help candidates practice saying the case out loud. MarketWatch noted that applicants should check any salary data an AI tool produces, since chatbots can make mistakes and may not know how urgently a company wants to hire.
A 2026 Eastern Washington University survey found that 78% of professionals who used AI to prepare for salary negotiations felt more confident, and 48% used it for role-play.
The laws do not guarantee top-dollar offers. They do give applicants a clearer view of the range, and experts say that can be enough to bargain with a steadier hand.
This story draws on original reporting from MarketWatch.