Do remote U.S. job posts need benefits info with pay?

Do remote jobs in the U.S. now need to include benefits info when they list pay

No, not nationwide. The U.S. does not have one general rule that forces every remote job post to list benefits with pay. The real rule is state by state, and remote postings can be covered when the job is tied to a covered state or a covered reporting location.

The part people get wrong is thinking “remote” means “outside the law.” That is not how pay-transparency laws work. Several states treat a remote job as covered if the position could be performed by someone in that state, or if the employee reports to a supervisor, office, or worksite in that state. New York, Colorado, Washington, Massachusetts, Illinois, and Maryland all have versions of that approach.

Illinois is one of the clearest examples. As of January 1, 2025, covered employers with 15 or more employees must include pay scale and benefits in internal and external postings for work performed at least in part in Illinois. Illinois also says a remote job that could be done in Illinois is covered.

Washington is similar. Employers with 15 or more employees must disclose a wage scale or salary range, a general description of benefits, and a general description of other compensation in job postings. Washington’s guidance says that includes remote work that could be performed by a Washington-based employee.

Colorado also reaches remote work. The state’s rules say that if an employer posts the job outside Colorado, it must include compensation and benefits in the posting. The same rule says a remote position with no residence requirement can be treated as a job that could be performed by a Coloradan.

Massachusetts now requires salary range disclosure for covered employers, and its guidance says the rule applies to positions that can be performed remotely to a Massachusetts worksite and to remote workers with a primary place of work in Massachusetts. The Massachusetts pages focus on pay range disclosure, not a general national requirement to list benefits.

New York is different on the benefits question. The state requires a salary, hourly rate, or range of pay for covered postings, including remote ones tied to New York reporting sites. But New York also says the range of pay cannot include benefits such as employer-provided insurance, paid leave, or retirement savings. Employers may mention extra compensation or benefits separately if it is clear they are not part of base pay.

Maryland’s wage range transparency law also reaches remote jobs that are aimed at Maryland-based workers. The state says employers must disclose certain information about compensation and benefits in job postings, and its FAQ gives a remote-work example where the law applies if the solicitation seeks workers based in Maryland.

What counts as “benefits info” is also not uniform. In some states, the posting must include a general description of benefits. In others, the law is about pay range only, and benefits may be optional or separately mentioned. That is why a nationwide template can fail even when the pay range is right.

The inconvenient part is compliance follows the job’s legal footprint, not the employer’s favorite recruiting process. If a role can be done remotely by someone in a covered state, the posting can inherit that state’s disclosure rules even when the company is headquartered somewhere else. That is the mistake that creates the most bad postings.

A practical way to handle this is to check three things before posting: where the employer is covered, where the role can legally be performed, and where the posting will be seen. Then use the strictest rule that applies to that specific posting. For teams that want a simple workflow, DevConnect exists for owned-property testing and job exchange, but it does not change any legal disclosure rule.

If you post nationally, the safest assumption is not “one rule for all remote jobs.” The safer assumption is that a remote job can trigger state-specific pay and benefits disclosure requirements wherever the work can be done, or wherever the employee is tied to a covered worksite. That is the point most employers miss until a state agency points it out.

If you need the shortest usable answer: no, remote jobs in the U.S. do not all need benefits info when they list pay. But in several states they do, and a remote role can still be covered if the worker is in that state or reports there.

What employers usually need to check

First, identify the state law that applies to the posting. New York, Colorado, Washington, Illinois, Massachusetts, and Maryland all have rules that can cover remote jobs in different ways. The exact trigger is not the same in each state.

Second, separate pay from benefits. Some laws require a pay range plus a general benefits description. Other laws require only the pay range, and some explicitly say benefits cannot be folded into the wage range itself. Mixing those together is a common source of violations.

Third, review the wording of remote eligibility. A posting that says “remote anywhere” can still trigger rules if the employer would accept applicants in a covered state. A posting that limits work to a specific location may change the analysis, but it does not erase the need to check the applicable state law.

What people get wrong

The biggest mistake is using the company headquarters as the only location test. State guidance often looks at where the work can be performed, where the employee reports, or whether the posting is seeking workers in that state. A New York, Washington, or Colorado remote role can still be covered even if the company is elsewhere.

The second mistake is assuming “benefits” means a single universal list. State laws use different disclosure standards. Some want a general benefits description, some focus on compensation ranges, and some say benefits cannot be included in the wage range itself. A template built for one state can be wrong in the next state.

A concrete example

A company in Texas posts a remote software role and says applicants anywhere in the U.S. may apply. If a Washington-based employee could fill the job, Washington’s pay-posting rule can apply, and the post needs a wage scale or salary range plus a general description of benefits and other compensation. If the same role is also open to Illinois applicants, Illinois may require pay scale and benefits too.

If the same company posts a New York remote role, New York requires a salary or salary range, but not a benefits-inclusive pay range. The employer can still mention benefits separately, as long as it is clear those items are not part of base pay. That distinction matters because putting benefits into the range itself can make the posting inaccurate under New York’s guidance.

Bottom line

Remote work does not create one national benefits-disclosure rule. The obligation comes from specific state laws, and those laws often follow the worker’s location or the worksite they report to. If the job can touch a covered state, assume the posting may need both pay and benefits information.

FAQ

Does every remote job posting have to include benefits No. The requirement depends on the state law that applies to the posting. Some states require benefits information, others only require pay ranges, and some allow benefits to be mentioned separately instead of inside the wage range.

If a remote job is open nationwide, which state law applies The posting can be covered by more than one state’s rule. Employers usually need to check where the job could be performed and where the reporting worksite is located, then follow every applicable state requirement.

Can an employer put benefits into the pay range Not always. New York says the range of pay cannot include benefits such as insurance, paid leave, or retirement savings, though those items may be listed separately if they are clearly not part of base wage.

What should a company do before publishing a remote job ad Check the covered states, decide whether the role could be filled from those states, then build the posting to match the strictest applicable rule. That avoids rewriting after the post is already live.