Kansas maintains a limited approach to pay transparency, with minimal statutory requirements focused primarily on providing wage information to employees upon written request and posting or providing notice of changes to compensation terms. Unlike many states that have enacted comprehensive salary posting and disclosure laws, Kansas has not adopted extensive pay transparency legislation, though the state does provide basic employee rights to wage information upon request.
Here’s what you need to know about Kansas pay transparency law requirements for 2025.
Core Law & Compliance
What Is the Kansas Pay Transparency Law? (2025 Update)
Kansas’s approach to pay transparency is governed by Kansas Statute Section 44-320, which establishes basic wage notification requirements upon employee request rather than proactive disclosure obligations.
Under this law, employers must provide employees with written notice of their rate of pay and the day and place of payment when requested by the employee. This ensures that workers can obtain basic compensation information when they specifically request it in writing.
Additionally, any changes to wage rates or payment terms must be posted conspicuously or provided in writing to employees upon request, ensuring that workers are informed of modifications to their compensation arrangements.
Kansas does not require employers to provide wage information in job postings, disclose salary ranges to applicants during the hiring process, or provide comprehensive compensation transparency beyond these basic employee request provisions.
Kansas Salary Posting Requirements for Employers
Kansas does not require employers to include salary ranges or wage information in job postings, distinguishing it from states like California, Washington, and New York that mandate upfront compensation disclosure in job advertisements.
The state also does not require employers to provide salary range information to job applicants during the hiring process, whether upon request, after interviews, or at any other specific stage of recruitment.
Kansas’s requirements are limited to providing wage information to current employees upon written request and ensuring proper notification of changes to compensation terms.
This approach allows Kansas employers significant flexibility in their recruitment and posting practices while maintaining basic rights for current employees to access their own compensation information.
When Did/Does the Kansas Pay Transparency Law Take Effect?
Kansas’s wage notification requirements under Kansas Statute Section 44-320 have been in effect as part of the state’s basic wage payment laws for many years.
The state has not enacted recent legislation expanding pay transparency requirements, and no comprehensive disclosure laws are currently pending in the Kansas legislature.
Kansas’s approach remains relatively unchanged compared to national trends toward expanded transparency requirements in other states.
Employer Responsibilities
Which Employers Must Comply With the Kansas Pay Transparency Law?
Kansas’s wage notification requirements apply to all employers operating in the state, regardless of size or industry. These obligations are considered fundamental aspects of the employment relationship under Kansas wage and hour law.
All Kansas employers must respond to written employee requests for wage rate and payment schedule information and must provide notification of changes to compensation terms through posting or written notice upon request.
The universal application reflects the basic nature of these requirements and ensures that all workers have access to information about their own compensation terms.
Kansas Pay Transparency Thresholds by Employer Size
Kansas does not use employer size thresholds for its wage notification requirements. All employers, from small businesses to large corporations, have the same obligations to provide wage information upon employee request.
This universal approach reflects the fundamental nature of Kansas’s requirements and avoids the complexity of size-based distinctions found in states with comprehensive transparency laws.
The absence of size thresholds means that compliance obligations are consistent across all employers, though the requirements themselves are substantially more limited than in most other states.
Penalties for Violating the Kansas Pay Transparency Law
Kansas enforces its wage notification requirements through the state’s general wage and hour enforcement framework. Violations may be addressed through the Kansas Department of Labor’s administrative processes and general employment law enforcement mechanisms.
Specific penalties for failing to provide wage information upon employee request or failing to notify employees of changes are addressed under Kansas’s broader wage payment enforcement provisions.
The enforcement framework is less developed than in states with comprehensive pay transparency laws, reflecting the limited scope of Kansas’s requirements and the state’s minimal approach to employment regulation in this area.
Employee Rights & Impact
What Employees Should Know About the Kansas Pay Transparency Law
Kansas employees have limited rights related to pay transparency compared to workers in states with comprehensive disclosure laws. The primary right is to request and receive written notice of their rate of pay and the day and place of payment.
Employees can make written requests for this information and employers are obligated to provide it, ensuring that workers have access to basic details about their own compensation arrangements.
When employers make changes to wage rates or payment terms, they must either post this information conspicuously or provide written notice upon employee request, ensuring workers are informed of modifications affecting their compensation.
However, Kansas employees do not have statutory rights to salary range information in job postings, wage information during the application process, or comprehensive compensation transparency beyond these basic provisions.
Employee Rights Under Kansas Salary Posting Law
Kansas does not have salary posting requirements, so employees do not have rights to compensation information in job advertisements or during the application process under state law.
The state’s limited transparency framework focuses on providing wage information to current employees upon request rather than proactive disclosure during recruitment.
Current employees’ rights are primarily limited to requesting wage rate and payment schedule information in writing and receiving notification of changes to these terms.
This limited framework means that Kansas employees must rely primarily on voluntary employer practices, market forces, and federal protections for compensation transparency beyond the basic state requirements.
How the Kansas Pay Transparency Law Helps Reduce Wage Gaps
Kansas’s minimal pay transparency requirements provide limited direct support for reducing wage gaps compared to comprehensive disclosure laws in other states.
The ability for employees to request wage information ensures that workers have access to basic details about their own compensation, which can support individual understanding and advocacy efforts.
The notification requirement for wage changes provides some protection against arbitrary compensation modifications, though it does not address broader pay equity concerns systematically.
Without comprehensive disclosure requirements, salary posting mandates, or explicit wage discussion protections, Kansas’s approach provides minimal systemic support for identifying and addressing wage disparities across protected classes.
HR & Legal Best Practices
How HR Teams Can Comply With Kansas Pay Transparency Law
HR teams should establish procedures for responding to written employee requests for wage rate and payment schedule information, ensuring compliance with the basic notification requirements.
Creating standardized processes for handling these requests helps ensure consistent compliance while maintaining good employee relations and demonstrating responsiveness to worker inquiries.
HR teams should also establish procedures for notifying employees of changes to wage rates or payment terms, either through conspicuous posting or written notice upon request.
While not required by Kansas law, many HR teams choose to implement voluntary transparency practices to attract talent, promote internal equity, and align with national trends.
Updating Job Postings to Meet Kansas Salary Transparency Rules
Kansas does not require salary ranges or wage information in job postings, so no updates are necessary for compliance purposes under state law.
Employers have complete discretion in whether to include compensation information in job advertisements, allowing them to make strategic decisions based on competitive considerations and organizational culture.
Many Kansas employers choose to include salary ranges voluntarily to attract candidates and demonstrate commitment to transparency, even though it is not legally required under state law.
HR teams should focus compliance efforts on the employee request procedures rather than recruitment materials, as posting requirements do not exist under current Kansas law.
Does the Kansas Pay Transparency Law Apply to Remote or Hybrid Workers?
Kansas’s wage notification requirements apply to all employees working for Kansas employers, regardless of work arrangement or location.
Remote and hybrid workers have the same rights to request wage rate and payment schedule information in writing as in-office employees under the state requirements.
The limited scope of Kansas’s requirements means that remote work arrangements do not create additional compliance complexities, as there are minimal state-level transparency obligations to manage.
Comparison and Broader Context
How Kansas Pay Transparency Rules Compare With California and New York
Kansas’s approach differs significantly from California and New York, which have comprehensive salary posting requirements, detailed disclosure obligations, and robust enforcement frameworks for pay transparency.
While California and New York require upfront salary disclosure in job postings, extensive pay data reporting, and comprehensive anti-discrimination enforcement, Kansas requires only basic wage information upon employee request.
The contrast highlights Kansas’s preference for minimal regulatory intervention compared to the comprehensive transparency frameworks adopted by more progressive states.
Federal Pay Transparency Requirements vs. Kansas Law
Kansas’s requirements are substantially more limited than current federal protections in most areas, providing workers with fewer transparency rights and weaker enforcement mechanisms than federal law in many circumstances.
Federal protections under the National Labor Relations Act for wage discussions, the Equal Pay Act for gender-based wage discrimination, and Title VII for broader anti-discrimination protections often exceed Kansas’s explicit state-level requirements.
Kansas’s minimal approach means that federal law often provides the primary protection for workers regarding compensation transparency, anti-discrimination, and employee rights related to wage discussions.
Pay Transparency Laws by State: Where Does Kansas Stand?
Kansas ranks among the states with limited pay transparency requirements, providing minimal disclosure obligations compared to the growing number of states with comprehensive transparency laws.
The state’s approach represents a middle position between states with no transparency requirements and those with comprehensive frameworks, offering basic employee rights to wage information without mandating broader disclosure.
Kansas’s position reflects broader political and regulatory preferences within the state, emphasizing limited government intervention while maintaining basic worker protections for accessing their own compensation information.
FAQs About the Kansas Pay Transparency Law
Do small businesses need to comply with Kansas pay transparency law?
Yes, all Kansas employers, regardless of size, must comply with the wage notification requirements under Kansas Statute Section 44-320. This includes providing written notice of wage rates and payment schedules to employees upon written request and notifying employees of changes to compensation terms through posting or written notice upon request. However, Kansas’s requirements are minimal compared to comprehensive transparency laws in other states.
How should employers update existing job postings?
Kansas does not require salary ranges or wage information in job postings, so no updates are necessary for compliance purposes under state law. Employers have complete discretion in whether to include compensation information in job advertisements. Many choose to include salary ranges voluntarily to attract candidates and demonstrate transparency, but this is entirely a business decision rather than a legal requirement under Kansas law.
Are salary ranges required for internal postings as well as external ones?
No, Kansas does not require salary ranges in any job postings, whether internal or external. The state’s requirements focus on providing wage information to current employees upon written request rather than during the recruitment process. Employers may choose to include compensation information in job postings voluntarily, but there is no legal obligation to do so under Kansas law.
What happens if employers fail to disclose salaries?
Since Kansas does not require salary disclosure in job postings or during the hiring process, there are no penalties for failing to provide this information. However, employers who fail to provide wage rate and payment schedule information when requested in writing by current employees, or who fail to notify employees of changes to compensation terms, may face enforcement action through Kansas’s general wage and hour enforcement framework, though specific penalties are not extensively detailed in the statutes.
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