Pay transparency rules a major victory for EU workers, says Cyrus Engerer

The European Parliament and the Council of the European Union have agreed on the new Pay Transparency Directive, a move that MEP Cyrus Engerer has described as a "big and positive win" for workers across the EU.

Engerer urges Member States to implement the new law without delay, highlighting the new rights and benefits it brings to employees. From now on, all job adverts must include the salary attached to the position, to be disclosed prior to any interviews.

The Directive gives workers the right to request information on their individual pay level, as well as average pay levels broken down by gender, for those doing the same work or work of equal value. This applies to all employees, regardless of company size.

In addition to exposing the gender pay gap in larger companies, the Directive introduces new mechanisms to address the issue and compensate those who have been discriminated against.

Employees or their representatives, such as unions, can initiate legal proceedings for compensation, including back pay and related bonuses or payments in kind, with the burden of proof resting on the employer to prove there was no discrimination in relation to pay.

Engerer emphasizes the importance of this law in ensuring equal pay for equal work and highlights the need for Member States to implement it as soon as possible.

The Pay Transparency Directive must be in force in all Member States within three years at the latest. Trilogues on the Directive ended in December, with the last hurdle to get the Directive in place passed in European Parliament last January.