As proof of the proliferation of pay equity laws and new restrictions on the hiring process, we noted that New York Governor Andrew Cuomo has proposed legislation that would ban private employers from inquiring into or considering an applicant’s salary history when setting compensation. Last year, he issued Executive Orders #161 and #162, which prohibit state agencies from asking about salary history and require private contractors doing business with the state to report employee pay and other demographic information to the state, respectively. And down in in New Jersey, Governor Phil Murphy announced earlier this week that he will sign the Garden States new pay equity act into law before the end of this month. The new law prohibits employers from paying women less than men for “substantially similar work” and allows victims of discrimination to sue for up to 6 years of back pay and the tripling of damages proven in court! Murphy also just filed his first state budget with the legislature, in which he wants to raise New Jersey taxes by $1.5 Billion! It didn’t take him long to look for more money, he was elected last November.