UPDATE: FAR Council Proposals Withdrawn

In January 2024, the Federal Acquisition Regulatory Council (FAR Council) proposed a rule that would

• prevent federal contractors and subcontractors from considering an applicant’s salary history when making employment decisions, and
• require contractors to disclose the pay range for certain job postings.

One year later on January 8, 2025, the FAR Council has withdrawn their proposed rule. The Office of Federal Procurement Policy (OFPP) cited limited time remaining in the current Administration, intending to focus their attention on other priorities, such as directives in recent National Defense Authorization Acts.

This decision means that federal contractors will not be obligated to disclose employee pay information to potential applicants. While this proposal was on the federal level, this does not mean that all federal contractors are exempt from these expectations. Close to 15 states and the District of Columbia have a state pay transparency law already in effect or due to take effect in 2025, and the number of proposals at the state and local level continues to grow. New Jersey is the most recent addition to this list, finalizing new requirements just last month (effective June 1, 2025).

While this federal proposal may be withdrawn, we will have to wait and see what else 2025 brings on the state and local level.

The withdrawal can be read here.