From 7 June 2026, groundbreaking Act no. 76/2026 Coll. on equal pay for men and women will come into effect, fundamentally strengthening your position in the labour market. Although pay discrimination has been prohibited until now, Slovakia has long shown one of the highest gender pay gaps in the EU, mainly due to a lack of transparency. The new legislation changes this and puts concrete tools at your disposal to verify whether your work is fairly compensated.
The end of the pay secrecy
One of the most significant changes is the complete ban on salary secrecy. An employer can no longer prevent you from sharing information about your own remuneration with others. Any clauses in employment contracts that would oblige you to remain silent about your salary will become invalid from June 2026.
The right to know how much colleagues earn
As an employee, you now have the right to request, in writing, information on the average remuneration of colleagues performing the same work or work of equal value. Your employer must provide you with this data broken down by gender. This data will first be available for the calendar year 2027. Your employer is obliged to respond to your request within two months.
It's not just about wages, but about the overall „reward“.“
The law replaces the narrow term „wage“ with a broader term „reward“. The right to equal remuneration applies to:
- The basic salary or basic salary.
- All supplementary and variable components (bonuses, premiums, personal allowances).
- Benefits in kind and perks, such as housing allowances, meal allowances, a company car for private use, or sick days.
Clear rules instead of sympathy
Your salary must no longer be the result of a back-of-the-envelope agreement or the boss's sympathies. The employer must introduce transparent remuneration structures based on objective factors: complexity, responsibility, strenuousness and working conditions. Under the new rules, mandatory consideration must now also be given to your soft skills, meaning social and communication skills. These criteria must be for you easily accessible (e.g. on the intranet).
Advantages when looking for a job
New rules already apply during the recruitment phase:
- Salary stated in the advert: An applicant has the right to know the starting salary or salary range before the interview.
- Ban on salary history questions The future employer will must not ask, how much did you earn in your previous job.
- Gender-neutral job advertisements: Advertisements must not be targeted at only one gender (e.g. they must specify ‘lawyer’ rather than ‘male lawyer’ or ‘female lawyer’).
- Gender-neutral job advertisements: Advertisements must not be targeted at only one gender (e.g. they must specify ‘lawyer’ rather than ‘male lawyer’ or ‘female lawyer’).
What if you discover injustice?
If the comparison shows that you are paid less than a colleague of the opposite sex in the same position, and the employer cannot to justify objectively (e.g., through performance or experience), you have the right to financial compensation for damage. This includes the retroactive payment of the difference in remuneration, compensation for lost opportunities, late payment interest, and financial compensation for non-material damage. In the event of a court dispute, this occurs reversed burden of proof – the employer will have to prove that they did not discriminate against you.
Employee Checklist: Are you ready for June 2026?
- Check your contract: Does it contain a wage confidentiality clause? From 7 June 2026, it is invalid in this part.
- Do you know the criteria for your salary? Do you have access to the written rules by which the company determines and increases your remuneration?
- Exercise your right to information: After 2027, please prepare a written request for information on the average salary of your colleagues in your category.
- Track total reward: Compare not only the base salary, but also bonuses and benefits. Are they allocated according to the same rules for both men and women?
- Recruitment without a background check: If you are applying for a new job, do not let yourself be pushed into revealing your current salary. The employer is not allowed to ask this question.
- Representatives' assistance: If you are afraid of direct confrontation, you can also request salary information more anonymously through trade unions or the Slovak National Centre for Human Rights.
- Returning from parental leave: If you are returning to work after maternity or parental leave, you are entitled to the same pay rises as those awarded to staff in your category during your absence.