Greece implements new wage transparency and equal pay laws

The Greek Ministry of Labour and Social Security has issued guidelines for the implementation of Law 5316/2026, which introduces new regulations for wage transparency and equal pay between men and women. Effective November 1, 2026, these rules incorporate EU Directive 2023/970 into national law.

Key changes for employers include the mandatory establishment of documented wage structures based on objective, gender-neutral criteria such as skills, effort, responsibility, and working conditions. All employers, regardless of size, must ensure equal pay for work of equal value. Companies with more than 100 employees are required to report wage gap data to the Ombudsman.

For job seekers, the law mandates transparency during the recruitment process. Candidates must be informed of the initial salary or salary range before their first interview. Additionally, employers are strictly prohibited from asking candidates about their previous salary history to prevent the perpetuation of existing pay disparities.

Employees gain the right to request written information regarding the average pay levels within their company, broken down by gender, for similar roles. If an unjustified pay gap exceeding 5% is identified and not corrected within six months, mandatory joint evaluation processes with employee representatives will be triggered. The new framework also includes provisions for compensation without a predetermined ceiling for those facing wage discrimination.