On Oct. 27 the city will celebrate the first anniversary of its pay‑transparency ordinance, a law that requires employers with fifteen or more workers to list salary ranges in job ads and prohibits asking applicants about prior earnings. The celebration on Oct. 13 turned into a practical audit: volunteers scanned hundreds of postings, filed complaints for the few listings that omitted ranges, and highlighted both successes and remaining challenges.
Broad Compliance Among Major Employers
City officials report that large institutions such as the Cleveland Clinic and University Hospitals have adjusted their hiring pages to meet the new requirement. “The law is written to be very easy to comply with so as not to be a burden to businesses, while also raising the bar on the pay of women and minorities,” wrote Matt Ashton, chair of the Fair Employment Wage Board, in an email to Signal Cleveland.
HR consultant Katie Soditch, who works with small‑ and midsize firms across Ohio, said the shift was initially daunting but ultimately beneficial. “We’re getting more qualified candidates because job seekers can see the pay range up front,” she explained.
Remaining Gaps: Public Employers and Isolated Violations
Activists note that the ordinance does not apply to county or state entities, leaving major public employers such as Cleveland State University, MetroHealth System and the county‑run Cleveland Metroparks outside its reach. “It was very obvious to people that MetroHealth is the only hospital not posting salary ranges,” said Grace Heffernan, executive director of the Northeast Ohio Worker Center, which helped draft the law.
In addition, a handful of private firms have drawn scrutiny. FirstEnergy, a publicly traded utility, accounted for roughly one‑third of the complaints filed during the birthday audit, according to Heffernan. The company has not yet responded to requests for comment.
Impact on Wage Gaps and Negotiation Power
Supporters argue that transparent salary ranges give job seekers a stronger negotiating position, reducing the likelihood of low‑ball offers. The federal Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that women earned 80.6 cents for every dollar earned by men in the first quarter of 2026, a gap that advocates hope the ordinance will help narrow.
Council Member Tanmay Shah, who sits on the wage board, said extending similar legislation to Cuyahoga County could level the playing field for businesses that currently compete with public entities exempt from the rule. County President Dale Miller echoed this sentiment, calling the city’s law “valuable worker protections” and urging countywide action.
Future Outlook
With 69 pay‑transparency complaints filed since the portal launched last November, the wage board is poised to enforce the ordinance more consistently. Partnerships with the worker center and organizations like Collaborate Cleveland are expanding outreach, teaching residents how to file complaints at fairpaycleveland.com.
Mayor Justin Bibb’s administration, which has also championed wage‑theft and living‑wage ordinances, views the trio of worker‑protection laws as an “ecosystem” that invests in Cleveland’s middle class. As the first anniversary approaches, city leaders and community advocates alike see the pay‑transparency law as a concrete step toward fairer wages and stronger local economies.
Original reporting: Signal Cleveland — read the source article.
