Bank of America is the latest company to ban this dreaded job-interview question

Yet it is also another sign that workplace laws enacted in a growing number of states — and at the global level — are beginning to have a broader impact. According to the National Women’s Law Center, 12 states, cities or U.S. territories have passed regulations prohibiting employers from relying on salary history when hiring — whether for all employers or just public-sector agencies — including Massachusetts, California, New York City and San Francisco. Several more are considering them, including Rhode Island, Florida and Mississippi.