New York lawmakers have reportedly passed a bill aimed at stopping companies from posting fake job listings that they never plan to fill. The measure, reportedly under review by Governor Kathy Hochul, is meant to cut down on ‘ghost jobs’ postings that frustrate job seekers who apply but get no response because the role isn’t actually open.
Under bill S8877, employers with 100 or more workers, and third-party job sites, would have to be clear about hiring plans. If a company expects to fill a role within 90 days, it must state the expected timeframe in bold, capital letters. If there’s no current opening, the posting must say so and give a rough idea of when hiring might happen. If the goal is just to collect resumes for future use, that also has to be disclosed up front.
The bill also requires companies to take job ads down within two weeks of hiring someone for that position. Lawmakers say this will prevent outdated listings from staying online and misleading applicants.
Ghost jobs have become a growing problem. Job seekers often spend time applying to roles that companies never intended to fill, or that were left up by mistake after hiring closed. A recent analysis of 1,75,000 listings found that about one in seven stayed active for more than 30 days, a point at which most companies are no longer reviewing applications.
The bill passed in both the New York State Senate and Assembly on 28 April, 2026. It will add to a wider push by states to regulate job ads. Colorado started the trend in 2021 with pay transparency rules, and now at least 11 states in addition to Washington DC require salary ranges in postings. New York’s bill shifts focus to hiring transparency making it clear which jobs are real and when they may be filled.
Similar proposals are under review in New Jersey, California, Kentucky, and Pennsylvania. If signed by Governor Hochul, New York’s law would be among the first to directly target ghost job postings.
