Greece Enacts Pay Transparency Law on November 1 to Close Gender Wage Gap

Greece will implement a new pay transparency framework starting Sunday, November 1, 2026, under Law 5316/2026. The law incorporates European Union Directive 2023/970 into national legislation and aims to ensure equal pay for work of equal value between women and men.

All private-sector employers, regardless of workforce size, must adopt written pay structures based on objective criteria. These structures must document pay elements by employee category and allow comparative evaluation of job positions.

“The pay of workers must be determined exclusively by the work they provide and its value, not by their gender.”

Objective criteria include skills, effort, responsibility, and working conditions. Where a collective bargaining agreement applies, employers may use the employee categories and pay scales defined in that agreement.

Job candidates have the right to be informed about the initial salary or pay range before the first interview. Employers are prohibited from asking candidates about pay received in previous jobs.

Current employees may request information on average pay levels for men and women in comparable positions. The law also establishes procedures to identify and correct unjustified pay differences while strengthening worker protections.

Enforcement includes inspections to detect unjustified pay gaps and an obligation for businesses to correct identified inequalities. Workers gain stronger opportunities to claim equal treatment and fair pay.