Bill 98: Pay Equity and Pay Transparency Act

Every employer in Nova Scotia who posts job openings will need to include a salary or pay range in their postings — this affects businesses of all sizes across all industries, from a small retail shop in Halifax to a large construction firm in Cape Breton. Public sector employers — government bodies and entities within the Government Reporting Entity — face the heaviest obligations, including conducting pay equity reviews, taking corrective action, and filing formal compliance reports with the Governor in Council. Private sector employers of any size are also prohibited from asking job candidates what they currently or previously earned, meaning hiring managers and HR staff will need to adjust their standard interview and screening practices. Employees and applicants gain explicit legal protection to discuss their own pay openly, which changes the day-to-day culture around compensation conversations in any Nova Scotia workplace.