Dive Brief:

• Google has announced that it's adding salary-range information to its search platform. The tech giant says the decision is based on feedback from job seekers on how to make searches faster and more informational.
• Directly in search, applicants can access salary data for postings, a range of location settings, and eventually have the ability to "save" jobs to come back to.
• According to Google, 85% of job posts lack salary information, which would help job seekers find appropriate openings. To remedy this, Google will provide estimates based on job titles, employers and locations drawn from platforms like PayScale, Glassdoor and LinkedIn. 

Dive Insight: 

Google's move is aimed at making job searches easier for workers. It argues that by viewing salary ranges next to posting, applicants can evaluate jobs faster and more efficiently.

While many employers might be reluctant to show salary ranges, such transparency could gain traction as a way to cope with new laws prohibiting employers from asking applicants about prior pay. These laws are said to be a way to reduce pay inequality based on gender, race and other characteristics, and Google increasing access to pay information could potentially have the same effect. (Interestingly, Google itself is facing pay discrimination claims.)

Salary can still be negotiated but these pay history bans, combined with increased access to information online, may well compel employers to be more transparent about compensation.