The Gender Disclosure Gap: Salary History Bans Unravel When Men Volunteer their Income
New laws aim to reduce inequality by limiting the information employers can seek. Although employers are forbidden from seeking certain information, workers are free to disclose voluntarily. A large survey of the US workforce shows that men are more likely to disclose their salaries unprompted, particularly when they believe that other candidates are volunteering. Women report higher disclosure costs (particularly non-pecuniary psychological or cultural costs), and are more likely to resist disclosing (even if others disclose).