A new bill aims to promote transparency and fairness in wage and salary practices across both public and private sectors by barring employers from requesting wage history and requiring them to disclose wage ranges and benefits for job positions.

North Miami Democratic Rep. Dotie Joseph filed the measure (HB 1619) that aims to address wage disparities and ensure employees are compensated fairly, regardless of past earnings. It also seeks to safeguard employees from retaliation and provide avenues for enforcement and relief in cases of noncompliance.

Titled the “Wage Fairness Act,” the bill would regulate employer practices and enhance wage and salary transparency. Employers and employment agencies would be prohibited from requesting or requiring employees or potential employees to provide wage or salary history.

Employers would further be prohibited from failing or refusing to disclose in an advertisement for an employment opportunity, whether public or internal, the wage or wage range in job advertisements. They would also be required to provide a general description of the benefits and any other remuneration for the job.

Employees would need to be given an update at least annually, on the employees’ hiring, promotion or transfer details if they are still employed by the employer or agency.

Furthermore, employers would be prohibited from taking retaliatory actions, such as refusing to hire or promote, against an employee or potential employee if they refuse to disclose their past wage or salary history. An employee, however, would be able to voluntarily disclose this information to an employer, especially for negotiation purposes.

All necessary records for each employee including the wage or wage range, and a general description of the benefits and all other information for employment opportunities, promotions and transfers would be required to be maintained and kept for at least two years after the employee leaves the job.

Employees within the Career Service System who are faced with a grievance would be able to appeal to the Public Employees Relations Commission (PERC). All other employees would be able to bring a civil action for legal or equitable relief in court within one year of the date that the person knew or should have known about the violation.

The PERC may order the employer or agency to pay a civil penalty of $1,000 for a first violation, and an additional $1,000 for each additional violation up to a total of $10,000. Courts would also be able to order injunctive relief of up to $10,000.

If passed, the bill would come into effect July 1.

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President Donald Trump will return to the dais for his first address to Congress since winning a comeback term. And the guest list remains the talk of the town.

Members of Florida’s congressional delegation will fill seats with opinionated citizens and other newsmakers.

U.S. Rep. Kathy Castor, a Tampa Democrat, plans to bring Tampa health care activist Karen Clay to the event. Clay has advocated for stronger coverage since her son Michael was diagnosed with a severe form of spinal muscular atrophy. Castor said she wants to spotlight the victims of potential cuts to federal services like Medicaid and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program.

“Donald Trump, Congressional Republicans and Elon Musk want to steal health care from children to reward their billionaire donors and friends with massive tax breaks,” Castor said.

“While Trump and Republicans surround themselves with billionaires, my fellow Democrats and I are standing up for people like Karen Clay. Karen has fought tirelessly for years to preserve protections for Americans with preexisting conditions and stop Republican attempts to dismantle the Affordable Care Act and strip health care away from millions of our neighbors back home in Florida. I’m thankful to have Karen as a strong partner as we gear up for the fight ahead to protect health care for Americans across the country.”

Clay plans to support health care protections put in place by former President Barack Obama.

“Health care is a lifeline, not a luxury. The Affordable Care Act and Medicaid expansion have helped millions of families get the care they need, yet they remain under constant threat,” she said.

“I’m honored to join Congresswoman Kathy Castor to send a clear message that these programs aren’t just ‘extremely popular,’ they are desperately needed for the close to 72 million Americans that rely on them. We must protect and expand access to health care, not rip it away. Too many lives are at stake.”

U.S. Rep. Lois Frankel, a West Palm Beach Democrat, will bring a union leader from the American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE) as Trump oversees government layoffs.

“My guest for the State of the Union, Cynthia Boston-Thompson — Florida President of AFGE National, representing over 800,000 federal workers — is joining me as we head to Washington with a clear message: mass layoffs won’t lower costs,” Frankel posted.

U.S. Rep. Maxwell Frost, an Orlando Democrat, will focus on the potential threats of Trump’s deportation policies, and will bring Wilna Destin, a former labor organizer and Haitian temporary protected status (TPS) holder, as his guest. The Trump administration recently tossed an extension of protections for many Haitians in the U.S.

“The recent decision to eliminate TPS for Haitians is yet another cruel attack on immigrants from this administration, treating those seeking refuge with callousness rather than with dignity and respect,” Frost said. “Instead of spewing hateful rhetoric about immigrants, it’s time this administration recognizes immigrants as humans and vital members of our community by creating speedy pathways to citizenship for our most vulnerable and strengthening temporary protections until we do so, and that’s exactly the message we plan on sending to President Trump at this address.

“Our Haitian siblings — here in Central Florida, across the country, and on the island — need our support, empathy, and commitment to their well-being. Wilna has dedicated her life to that fight, not just for herself but for thousands of others whose futures are now also in limbo. Her courage and fierce advocacy make it an honor to have her as my guest.”

Also of note, First Lady Melania Trump will bring a Florida activist as one of her guests to the speech, parental rights advocate January Littlejohn. She was an advocate for Florida’s state law restricting instruction about gender ideology in schools, and was involved in a high-profile spat with Leon County Schools claiming teachers started allowing her to use a different gender identity in school without the parents’ knowledge.

“The school drove a wedge between January’s daughter and her parents, and deceived January about their covert plan to transition her daughter,” reads a release from the White House Communications Office.

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