Mayor Bibb signs Cleveland pay-transparency ordinance requiring salary ranges, banning salary-history questions

Mayor Justin Bibb signed Ordinance 104, 2025, the Cleveland Pay Transparency Ordinance, at City Hall on Friday, a measure whose sponsors say will require employers of a specified size to disclose salary ranges in job postings and prohibit asking applicants about their salary histories during the application process.

Councilwoman Stephanie House Jones, who introduced the ceremony, said the ordinance is intended to give Cleveland workers “a fair shot” by letting applicants “know what they should be paid from the onset and not later on.”

The ordinance, she said, was developed with community partners including Northeast Ohio Work Center, Collaborate Cleveland, Plexus and SEIU Local One. Councilman Charlie Slife, a co-sponsor who spoke before the signing, summarized the bill’s two central provisions: it mandates that employers meeting a size threshold disclose salary ranges in job postings, and it “prohibits them from asking about salary history within the specific application process.”

Supporters framed the measure as a tool to address wage gaps. Council President Blaine Griffin said the ordinance “promotes pay equity” and “reduces gender and racial wage gaps,” while Amanda Cole of Plexus told the crowd that pay transparency also helps employers find the right candidate by making the hiring process “easier and streamlined.” Mayor Bibb called the signing a step toward a pro-worker city and cited a study he said showed it could take centuries for Black residents to close the racial wealth gap without action.

What the ordinance does and does not say

The text and discussion at the signing specify three practical effects: employers above a size threshold must list a salary range in job postings, employers may not ask for an applicant’s salary history during the application process, and the ordinance increases the enforcement role of the city’s Fair Wage Board, which council recently staffed. The transcript repeatedly references “employers of a certain size” but does not state the numerical threshold or an effective date; those details are not specified in the remarks at the signing.

Officials and community partners emphasized expected local impacts. Slife cited national and regional precedent, noting Cincinnati, Columbus and Toledo have enacted similar rules; Amanda Cole said in her work running career fairs Plexus has seen applicants offered salaries well below posted base pay when ranges are not disclosed. Supporters also pointed to persistent pay disparities: speakers cited statistics that women earn on average 79 cents on the dollar compared with men, Black women 63 cents and Latinas 58 cents, figures used to illustrate the ordinance’s equity goals.

Formal action and next steps

The event was a ceremonial signing; the transcript records Mayor Bibb placing his signature on Ordinance 104, 2025 and council leaders describing the law’s purposes. No vote tallies or motion text were included in the signing remarks. Council members and the mayor said implementation will involve the Fair Wage Board; the transcript does not detail enforcement procedures, timelines, or penalties.

Who spoke and who was present

Speakers at the ceremony included Councilwoman Stephanie House Jones, co-sponsor Councilman Charlie Slife, Amanda Cole of Plexus, Council President Blaine Griffin and Mayor Justin Bibb. Council members Jasmine Santana and “Council Member Mo” were named as sponsors or supporters during remarks. Community partners named in remarks included Pam Mason of the Northeast Ohio Work Center, Abby Westbrook of Collaborate Cleveland and SEIU Local One representative Sandra Ellington.

Context and significance

Speakers described the ordinance as the latest local step to address pay inequity, and Mayor Bibb said Cleveland is now the last major city in the state to enact pay-transparency legislation. The mayor and council leaders characterized the measure as part of a broader pro-worker agenda that includes work on wage theft and payroll fraud; they urged further action at the state level.

Limitations and unresolved details

Remarks at the signing did not specify the employer-size threshold that triggers the ordinance, an effective date, enforcement penalties, or the formal procedures the Fair Wage Board will use to adjudicate complaints. Because those particulars were not stated in the transcript, this article does not assume them; readers seeking enforcement and compliance details should consult the final ordinance text or city clerk’s office.

The signing concluded with photos and brief remarks from community partners; officials encouraged continued collaboration to implement the law and to press for broader state action on pay transparency.