The Slovak Government approved a draft Act on Equal Pay for Men and Women for Equal Work or Work of Equal Value on 17 December 2025. Following approval by the Tripartite Council on 8 December 2025, the bill was submitted to the National Council of the Slovak Republic on 7 January 2026 and is currently awaiting parliamentary debate. If adopted, the Act will enter into force on 7 June 2026, transposing Directive (EU) 2023/970 of the European Parliament and of the Council into Slovak law. The aim of the new legislation is to strengthen the principle of equal pay through transparency and new enforcement mechanisms.
Key Employer Obligations
1. Implementation of a Pay Structure
Employers will be required to implement a pay structure that ensures compliance with the right to equal pay. This structure must enable an assessment of whether employees perform equal work or work of equal value, based on objective criteria including complexity, responsibility, effort, and working conditions. Employers whose business was established before 7 June 2026 must fulfil this obligation by 31 July 2026.
2. Transparency in Recruitment
The Act introduces new obligations at the recruitment stage. Employers must ensure that job postings and job titles are gender-neutral and that the recruitment process is non-discriminatory. Job applicants will have the right to information about the starting salary or its range prior to the job interview. Employers will also be prohibited from requesting information about an applicant's previous salary.
3. Employee Right to Information
Employees will have the right to receive written information about their pay level and the average pay levels by gender within their category. Employers must provide this information within two months of receiving a request. Employers are also prohibited from preventing employees from disclosing their pay to others, and any contractual confidentiality clauses regarding one's own pay will be void.
4. Reporting Obligations
The Act introduces an obligation to submit pay reports to the Ministry of Labour according to the following schedule:
- 250+ employees: annually by 15 April; first report by 7 June 2027
- 150–249 employees: every three years; first report by 7 June 2027
- 100–149 employees: every three years; first report by 7 June 2031
Reports must include data on the gender pay gap, the median pay gap, the proportion of men and women receiving supplementary pay components, and the distribution of employees across pay quartiles.
5. Joint Pay Assessment
If a pay report reveals a difference of at least 5% in the average pay level between men and women in any employee category, and this difference is not justified by objective criteria, the employer must conduct a joint pay assessment in cooperation with employee representatives.
Penalties and Shift in the Burden of Proof
Failure to comply with reporting obligations may result in fines ranging from EUR 500 to EUR 4,000. There is one significant change regarding a shift in the burden of proof; if an employer breaches transparency or information obligations, it will bear the burden of proving that no discrimination occurred. The aggrieved person is entitled to monetary compensation including unpaid wages, compensation for lost opportunities, and non-pecuniary damages, with a three-year limitation period.
Recommendations for Employers
The new legislation will require a comprehensive review of internal pay processes. We recommend starting with an audit of existing pay structures, establishing objective job evaluation criteria, and preparing for the new information and reporting obligations. Should you require a consultation on implementing the new regulation, please do not hesitate to contact us.