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.
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.
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:
- Basic wage or salary.
- All additional and variable components (bonuses, premiums, personal increments).
- Perpetual benefits and perks, such as housing allowances, meal vouchers, company cars for private use, or sick days.
Clear rules instead of sympathy
Your salary can no longer be the result of a „gentlemen's agreement“ or your boss's personal favour. Employers must introduce transparent remuneration structures based on objective factors: complexity, responsibility, effort, and working conditions. Under the new rules, your soft skills, i.e. social and communication skills, must also be taken into account as a mandatory consideration. These criteria must be easily accessible to you (e.g. on the intranet).
Advantages when looking for a job
New rules already apply during the recruitment phase:
- Salary in advertisement: The applicant has the right to know the starting remuneration or its range before the interview.
- Ban on asking about old salary: Future employers must not ask you how much you earned in your previous employment.
- Gender-neutral offers: Advertisements must not be targeted at only one gender (e.g. lawyer (male/female) must be stated).
- Gender-neutral offers: Advertisements must not be targeted at only one gender (e.g., lawyer/lawyeress must be stated).
What if you discover injustice?
If a comparison shows that you are paid less than a colleague of the opposite sex in the same position, and the employer cannot objectively justify it (e.g. based on performance or experience), you are entitled to financial compensation for damages. This includes back payment of the difference in remuneration, compensation for lost opportunities, default interest, and monetary compensation for non-pecuniary damage. In the event of legal proceedings, the burden of proof is reversed – 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 secrecy clause? This clause will be invalid from 7 June 2026.
- 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: Prepare a written request for information on the average salary of your colleagues in your category after 2027.
- Track the total reward: Compare not only the base pay on the payslip but also bonuses and benefits. Are they awarded according to the same rules for men and women?
- Recruiting without a past: If you are applying for a new job, do not be pressured into revealing your current salary. Employers are not permitted to ask this question.
- _Help from representatives: 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 that occurred in your category during your absence.
