Pay Transparency in Fashion Hiring: Where Job Ads Must Show Salary Ranges

Why pay ranges now appear on fashion job ads

If you have browsed fashion jobs in the United States recently, you will have noticed figures such as "$48,527 to $60,659" on roles that used to say only "competitive salary". That change is largely the result of law. A growing number of US cities and states require employers to state a good-faith pay range in job postings, and the European Union has adopted a directive that requires pay information to be shared with candidates before interview.

This guide summarises the main rules that affect fashion, beauty and retail hiring, explains what a posted range does and does not tell you, and sets out how to use it. It is a plain-language overview, not legal advice. Thresholds and details change, so check the official source for the place where the job is based.

The main rules at a glance

• New York City. Since 1 November 2022, employers with four or more employees must include a good-faith minimum and maximum salary in ads for jobs performed in the city, including remote roles that can be done there. See the NYC Commission on Human Rights guidance.

• New York State. Since 17 September 2023, employers with four or more employees must disclose the compensation or range for jobs performed at least partly in the state, or reporting to a supervisor or office there. See the New York State Department of Labor pay transparency page.

• California. Since 1 January 2023, employers with 15 or more employees must include the pay scale in job postings, and all employers must give an applicant the pay scale on reasonable request. See the California Labor Commissioner's Equal Pay Act FAQ and Labor Code section 432.3.

• Washington State. Since 1 January 2023, employers with 15 or more employees must disclose the wage scale or salary range and a general description of benefits in postings. See Washington L&I's Equal Pay and Opportunities Act page.

• Colorado. Since 2021, the Equal Pay for Equal Work Act has required employers to include compensation and benefits in postings for Colorado jobs. See the Colorado Department of Labor and Employment.

• Massachusetts. Since 29 October 2025, employers with 25 or more employees in the state must disclose a pay range in postings. See Mass.gov's pay transparency guidance.

• European Union. Directive (EU) 2023/970 gives job applicants the right to receive information on the initial pay or its range, in the vacancy notice or before interview, and bars employers from asking about pay history. Member states had until 7 June 2026 to bring it into national law, so check how your country has implemented it.

Several other US states have passed similar laws. If a role is based somewhere not listed here, the state labour department's website is the place to check.

What a posted range tells you

A range is the employer's good-faith estimate of the base pay it expects to offer for that role. Most fashion postings also say that the final figure depends on experience, location and skills. In practice, a few things are worth knowing:

• It is usually base pay only. Bonus, commission, equity, staff discounts and benefits are often extra and listed separately, if at all.

• Hourly and salaried roles look different. Store roles are often posted per hour; corporate roles per year. Compare like with like.

• Wide ranges cover several levels. A range such as $100,000 to $130,000 may span a junior and a senior version of the same title.

• Location matters. The same role can carry different ranges in different cities, and remote roles may be pegged to where you live.

How to use a range in your application

Use the range to decide whether a role is worth your time before you invest in a tailored application. If the top of the range is below what you need, it is better to know before the first interview than after the third.

When the conversation turns to pay, anchor to the posted range rather than your current salary. In places with salary-history bans, employers should not ask what you earn now. You can say something like: "Based on the range in the posting and my experience with wholesale accounts, I'm looking for a figure towards the upper half."

Keep the posting. Ranges can be edited, and a saved copy helps if the offer is very different from what was advertised.

Style Serum's approach

Every role on the Style Serum job board must show a pay range, wherever it is based and whether or not a local law requires it. Employers who post with us enter a minimum, a maximum, a currency and a pay period, and a role cannot be submitted without them. Our Careers Centre also shows the typical midpoint of yearly ranges on open roles by job area, calculated only from listings currently on the board.

If you hire, you can post a job for free during our launch period.