New York Legislators Passed Ghost Job Posting Bill
Companies with 100 or more employees will face fines for posting roles that do not exist or remain unfilled.
Updated on Oct. 7, 2026 in Job Search
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In June 2026, the New York state Legislature passed legislation requiring employers to provide clear timelines for job openings and mandates the removal of filled postings within two weeks. The bill targets firms with at least 100 employees, aiming to curb the practice of maintaining "ghost" job ads.
Why it matters
The legislation addresses concerns regarding false advertising and applicant transparency, as companies previously used these postings to build talent pools or inflate their market image. For operators, this creates a new compliance burden for HR departments and recruitment workflows.
The bill establishes a $2,500 fine per ghost job posting, which doubles if left unpaid, for all companies with 100 or more employees. This follows a 2024 survey reporting that 40% of employers admitted to maintaining listings for positions that were not actively being filled.
The players
New York state Legislature
The state lawmaking body responsible for drafting and passing legislation governing business operations and labor practices.
Kathy Hochul
The Governor of New York who is currently reviewing the passed legislation for signature.
Indeed
A global job board and employment search engine that manages massive volumes of hiring data and interacts with state regulators.
Department of Labor
The New York state agency responsible for overseeing compliance with employment laws and conducting audits of business recruitment practices.
The details
The bill mandates that job advertisements explicitly state intended fill dates and current availability. The state Department of Labor is tasked with auditing companies and third-party recruitment firms to ensure compliance, with print advertisements also subject to these scrutiny measures. Companies failing to remove listings within two weeks of a position being filled will be subject to the tiered fine schedule.
Timeline
A 2024 survey by Resume Builder assessed the prevalence of ghost job ads.
In May 2026, Indeed released its policy regarding ghost job postings.
The New York state Legislature passed the ghost job bill in June 2026.
Indeed officials met with the governor's office in July or August 2026.
Market Landscape
This legislation marks a significant departure from traditional recruitment practices by codifying mandatory removal windows for job advertisements. It reflects an intensifying regulatory focus on digital recruitment transparency and the impact of automated posting practices on labor market fairness.
HR departments and recruitment managers with 100 or more employees should immediately review internal posting protocols to ensure removal timelines align with the new two-week requirement. Maintain detailed records of all job postings and their fill dates to simplify potential audits by the Department of Labor.
The takeaway
The move signals a stricter regulatory environment for digital recruitment, requiring businesses to treat every job post as a formal business record. Operators should establish an automated removal policy that triggers exactly 14 days after a position is filled to prevent accidental fines.
Further reading
For more on evolving recruitment regulations, visit the Job Search section.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Times Union.
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