Do you think employers should require salary history from job seekers?

Firstly, it is useful to examine why an employer would ask about the salary history. From the employer's point of view, your salary requirements can be a key component in the decision-making process if the recruiter is already interested in you. If you are currently making more than the company is willing to offer, this can be the deciding factor that compels the employer to choose another candidate. On the other hand, if you are currently making a bit less than what is being offered, this can give recruiters the impression that you are at the right stage in your career for the position in question.

For several issues:

1. To assure credability for the job seekers.

2. To build salary & previlages.

3. To have an idea about Proffesional career & his previuos performance with previuos employeer(s).

I find it very rude to ask about salary history, I suppose employers can ask about it, but they won't be getting an answer from me.

I used to think employeers asking for salary history as a bit uncouth initially, but trends have changed, and it's become more and more difficult to calculate estimated market value of potential candidates.

So I guess it's okay if employeers ask for salary history at the time of the second or third interview.

First interviews should always be unbiased.

Employers can ask for salary history but its not necessary for employee to give that information.

The only reason they ask for salary history is:

1. To use your past pay as a gauge of your market value

2. Sense of what salary you'll be expecting

3. Help them understand what salary to offer

Required coz it would help in salary negotiation, +  helps to get an idea on candidates potential through their increase in salaries in past. coz no one will increase or give you  increament until or unless you perform well.So, salary history is required. 

For my case i ask this question in each interviewit can be in different forums like

1- was you satisfy with your last salary and how much was it

2- do you think you deserve more in ur current job how much you think you deserve ?

3- what is your expected salary for the position ?

4- What if the salary was ---- would you accept ?

depends on the person the background and many different thing

that kind of questions always get asked to see how far you  can be pushed and what's your limits, expectations and your reaction as well is important etc :)

Hope my answer help you !

In principle, NO, unless it is for the sake of meeting the expectations/demands of high-expertise head-hunted professionals! I say this because in most cases such enquiries are aimed at playing the salary of a prospect employee down regardless of its deservedness.

And in many regions of the world, this question is only asked with extreme care and with attached openness for getting "No comment" as an answer. 

Yes indeed, it is tool to take decision whether candidate selected or not. For example, if any candidate gets $2000 salary per month in his or her last job and if we offer salary $1800. He or she will not stay in my organization and after few days he or she will try to get another job higher salary. For that reasons, salary history is mendatory.

Yes this is nota polite question. But the organisation needs to know the answer as it has to understand at what salary it could gain theservice from the person in the long term .It has to be a higher salary than the one presently earned.