Welcome addition

I believe pay transparency is a welcome addition to the armoury that governments can use to ensure employers pay fairly. Without public accountability and even with the best of intentions, most tend to pay along the lines of least resistance (i.e., whoever shouts loudest gets the most).

In my view, the proposal, as outlined, doesn't appear to go far enough and creates additional responsibilities for government bodies in enforcing the law. The key differences in the EU Pay Transparency Directive, which are often overlooked, are the shift of the burden of proof to the employer and the possibility of unlimited compensation for unfair pay practices. If these could also be incorporated, it would support the underlying principles you are seeking to achieve.

A recent paper, "Pay Transparency and Racial Disparities in Mortgage Lending," found that pay transparency is associated with better mortgage outcomes for Black and Hispanic borrowers. This is based on US data for those cities and states where starting pay ranges must be shared.

Pay transparency can make a positive outcome to the lives of women and minority groups, but it does need legislative leverage and not rely on employers being proactive.