On June 4, 2024 the Polish Parliament has adopted the amendment of the Labour Code introducing so called salary transparency rule (Official Journal 2025 pos. 807). The said act, which shall enter into force on December 24, 2025 implements EU Directive 2023/970 on equal pay for women and men and introduces significant amendments to the Labour Code which shall impose new obligations for the employers and rights of employees.
What’s most important?
1. Information obligations toward the candidates - employers will be required to provide candidates with:
a) Proposed salary (as a specific amount or range), including all components,
b) Relevant provisions of collective labor agreements or remuneration regulations (if applicable),
c) At a stage that allows for informed negotiations – no later than before the interview or signing of the employment contract.
2. Ban on Requesting Previous Salary Information – employers will not be allowed to ask candidates about their current or past salaries.
3. Gender-Neutral Recruitment – Job advertisements and position shall be required to be gender-neutral and the recruitment process must be non-discriminatory.
4. Right to Information for Employees – employees will have the right to:
a) access information about their own salary and average salaries broken down by gender,
b) request additional explanations if the data is incomplete,
c) disclose salary information to enforce the principle of equal pay.
5. Reporting and Pay Gap Assessment – Employers will be obliged to report data on the pay gap. If the gap exceeds 5%, a joint assessment of salaries with employee representatives will be required.
6. Legal Protection of employees and consequences for employes – Employees will be able to pursue claims for violations of the principle of equal pay, including full compensation and redress. On the other hand, lack of compliance with new regulations may expose the employers to fines ranging from PLN 1,300 through PLN 30,000.
For further information on this topic please contact Paweł Sikora at KKG Legal by telephone (+48 22 206 83 00) or email (pawel.sikora@kkg.pl).