Mandatory salary disclosure in job adverts could risk making the jobs market less transparent if employers move more roles away from public advertising, according to Hazel Wynn, managing director of specialist finance recruiter Rutherford Cross.
Key takeaways
- The proposed rules would require salary or pay-range information in job advertising, or before interview for private roles.
- Rutherford Cross supports clarity but argues that private-sector hiring needs flexibility.
- Employers may need to research the market before deciding a salary range for new or evolving positions.
“What employers need is more flexibility – rather than less – to take on people to support their growth plans.”
Hazel Wynn, Managing Director, Rutherford Cross
The Government is consulting on proposals that could require employers to publish a salary or pay range in job adverts, or provide written salary information before interview where a role is not advertised publicly. Employers could also be asked to set out information about other forms of remuneration, such as bonuses.
The proposals are intended to improve openness and help prevent future pay-discrimination claims. However, Wynn said the measures could prompt some organisations to use other routes to hire rather than advertise roles publicly.
Balancing transparency and flexibility
Wynn said candidate frustration at adverts without salary information is understandable and that Rutherford Cross tries to give an indication where a figure or range cannot be published.
She added that fixed ranges work well in the public sector, where roles are often part of a defined structure, but can be more difficult for private-sector organisations hiring a role for the first time or still shaping its scope.
Companies may need to test the market to establish a realistic salary, she said, while the right candidate could alter the level and remit of the role. The consultation closes on 27 October 2026.
