India, March 30 -- With Illinois, Maine, and New Jersey jumping on the bandwagon in recent months, there are now 17 states that have enacted legislation prohibiting employers from asking candidates about current or past compensation, including benefits or bonuses. Similar laws are in effect in local jurisdictions across 20 states, while legislation known as the Paycheck Fairness Act has been introduced at the federal level.

The admirable goal of salary disclosure bans is to narrow or close the longstanding gender wage gap by requiring employers to set salary ranges based upon job requirements and market factors, rather than compensation history. Notably, at 5.4%, the gender pay gap among IT professionals is higher compared to other profe...