diff --git a/productMods/edit/forms/personHasPositionHistory.jsp b/productMods/edit/forms/personHasPositionHistory.jsp
index 86d656eb..06b54248 100644
--- a/productMods/edit/forms/personHasPositionHistory.jsp
+++ b/productMods/edit/forms/personHasPositionHistory.jsp
@@ -151,10 +151,6 @@
         <c:set var="titleVerb" value="Edit" />
         <c:set var="submitButtonText" value="Edit Position" />
         <c:set var="disabledVal" value="disabled" />
-        <%-- Start year is required for an add but not an edit (so editors don't have to look up the start date in order
-             to edit an existing entry with no start date). --%> 
-        <c:set var="startYearRequired" value="" />
-        <c:set var="startYearRequiredHint" value="" />
 <% 
     } else { // adding new entry
 %>
@@ -162,8 +158,6 @@
         <c:set var="titleVerb" value="Create" />
         <c:set var="submitButtonText" value="Position" />
         <c:set var="disabledVal" value="" />
-        <c:set var="startYearRequired" value="\"nonempty\"," />
-        <c:set var="startYearRequiredHint" value="${requiredHint}" />
 <%  } %> 
 
 <c:set var="editjson" scope="request">
@@ -260,7 +254,7 @@
       },      
       "startYear" : {
          "newResource"      : "false",
-         "validators"       : [ ${startYearRequired} "datatype:${gYearDatatypeUriJson}" ],
+         "validators"       : [ "datatype:${gYearDatatypeUriJson}" ],
          "optionsType"      : "UNDEFINED",
          "literalOptions"   : [ ],
          "predicateUri"     : "",
@@ -347,7 +341,7 @@
         <v:input type="text" label="Position Title ${requiredHint}" id="positionTitle" size="30" />
         <v:input type="select" label="Position Type ${requiredHint}" id="positionType" />
 
-        <v:input type="text" label="Start Year ${startYearRequiredHint} <span class='hint'>(YYYY)</span>" id="startYear" size="4" />   
+        <v:input type="text" label="Start Year <span class='hint'>(YYYY)</span>" id="startYear" size="4" />   
         <v:input type="text" label="End Year <span class='hint'>(YYYY)</span>" id="endYear" size="4" />
     
     </div>