Ohio does not currently have an active statewide pay transparency law requiring salary ranges in job postings. However, legislative activity in 2025 and 2026 suggests that Ohio may join the growing list of states with transparency requirements. This guide explains the current state of play, what employers operating in Ohio should monitor, and what federal requirements still apply.
Current status: no active state law
As of early 2026, Ohio has not enacted a pay transparency law mandating salary range disclosure in job postings. Employers with Ohio-only roles are not currently required by state law to include compensation information in job advertisements.
Federal requirements that still apply in Ohio
Even without a state pay transparency law, Ohio employers must comply with federal requirements:
- Equal Pay Act (EPA): Prohibits gender-based pay discrimination for substantially similar work
- Title VII of the Civil Rights Act: Prohibits compensation discrimination based on race, sex, religion, national origin
- OFCCP requirements: Federal contractors must include EEO taglines and may not screen applicants based on pay history
- NLRA rights: Employees have the right to discuss wages with co-workers — policies prohibiting this discussion are unlawful
Remote roles posted in Ohio: multi-state exposure
If your Ohio-based company posts remote roles that can be performed by residents of other states, those postings must comply with the laws of states where candidates could reside. See our remote work compliance guide for how this works in practice.
What to watch in Ohio
Several bills have been introduced in the Ohio General Assembly that would require salary range disclosure. Key indicators to monitor:
- Ohio HB 218 and SB 154 — introduced but not passed as of 2026
- Ohio Civil Rights Commission enforcement actions related to pay equity
- Municipal-level action — Columbus and Cleveland have active workforce advocacy communities that could prompt city-level ordinances
Proactive steps for Ohio employers
- ✓ Comply with federal EPA, Title VII, and OFCCP requirements
- ✓ Add salary ranges to postings now — it's legally permissible and helps attract candidates
- ✓ Ensure remote-role postings comply with all states where candidates could be located
- ✓ Monitor RoleComply alerts for when Ohio enacts a law
How RoleComply monitors Ohio
RoleComply tracks legislative activity in all US states. When Ohio enacts pay transparency legislation, scanning rules will update automatically — no action required from you. You'll receive an alert the moment new requirements take effect.
What Ohio employers must do
While specific legislation in Ohio is still developing, the trend across the US makes proactive compliance the right strategy now. The Ohio Bureau of Wage and Hour is the authoritative source for compliance guidance and enforcement updates. Employers with any hiring activity in Ohio should treat pay range disclosure as non-negotiable.
Audit every active posting. Review all roles advertised in Ohio — on your own careers page, LinkedIn, Indeed, Glassdoor, and through any staffing agencies. Every posting needs a salary range. Check that your range is genuine — regulators and candidates alike can identify placeholder-wide ranges that bear no connection to actual pay.
Establish pay bands. A range on a job posting is only defensible if it connects to a documented compensation structure. Build pay bands for each role or level, benchmark against market data, and document the factors that explain variation within each band (experience, skills, location). This documentation protects you in enforcement situations and in employee conversations.
Train your recruiting team. Front-line recruiters need to understand what is required and what is prohibited. "Competitive salary", "DOE", salary history questions, and ranges that do not match the actual hiring budget are the most common violations — and all of them are preventable with basic training and updated posting templates.
Penalties and enforcement
Enforcement of US pay transparency laws has accelerated since 2023. New York City has issued fines ranging from $15,000 to over $250,000 for single violations. California's Civil Rights Department investigates complaints and requires remediation. The pattern is consistent across jurisdictions: initial enforcement targets large employers with visible non-compliance, then expands to mid-market companies as regulators build capacity. See our US state law roundup for current requirements across all states, or read our salary range best practices guide to learn how to write ranges that satisfy multiple state requirements simultaneously.
