Pay transparency from 1 November: what changes for employers and workers
A pay range before the first interview, a right to information within two months, and new duties for every business.
The main provisions on pay transparency and equal pay for women and men in Greece's private sector take effect on 1 November 2026. A Ministry of Labour circular explains how the already enacted Law 5316/2026 (Government Gazette A 105), which transposed EU Directive 2023/970, is to be applied. This is therefore not a new bill or a non-binding recommendation.
Documented, gender-neutral pay criteria
All employers, regardless of workforce size, must have pay structures that enable equal pay for the same work or work of equal value. The criteria must be objective and gender-neutral — including skills, effort, responsibility and working conditions — and accessible to staff. Where collective agreements exist, their pay scales may be used.
What a job candidate is entitled to know
Before the first interview, a candidate is entitled to information on the position's initial pay or pay range and on the relevant provisions of any collective agreement. Job notices and the recruitment process must be worded without discrimination based on gender or family status.
Written request and a reply within two months
A worker may request, in writing, their individual pay level and the average pay levels, broken down by gender, for the category of employees doing the same work or work of equal value. The employer must reply within two months and notify staff of this right every year.
When reporting begins
The 1 November start date does not mean that every business must immediately submit a report. Employers with at least 250 workers must report by 7 June 2027 and annually thereafter. Businesses with 150–249 workers have the same first deadline and then report every three years, while those with 100–149 workers have a first deadline of 7 June 2031 and then report every three years.
When a joint pay assessment is required
A joint pay assessment with employee representatives is required when three conditions apply cumulatively: an average pay gap of at least 5% between women and men in a category of workers, no objective gender-neutral justification, and failure to correct the gap within six months of reporting it.
The law provides judicial and administrative protection, as well as protection from retaliation for people exercising their rights. In practice, employers need to document their pay criteria and scales in good time, while candidates and workers will be able to request the prescribed information in writing after the provisions take effect.
English translation of the Greek edition · Read in Greek