Pay Transparency to Become Law in the Netherlands

Big changes are coming to how pay works in the EU. The goal is to close the gap in earnings between women and men. On average, women make about 11% less across Europe. The new EU Pay Transparency Law sets clear rules to help fix this in the Netherlands. Everyone should get fair pay.

June Effect

EU countries must put this rule into their laws by June 7, 2026. The Netherlands plans to start using the new rules from January 1, 2027. This later date is not approved by the European Commission. It makes things less clear for employers in the Netherlands.

The new law changes how companies hire and pay people. Employers must share the starting salary or range before interviews. All job ads must use gender-neutral words. Employers cannot ask about your old salary or prevent you from discussing pay with coworkers. Workers can ask what others in the same job earn, separated by gender.

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Big vs Small

Bigger companies have to report pay gaps more often. If your company has 250 or more workers, you must do this yearly. Companies with 100 to 249 workers must report every 3 years. When the pay difference exceeds 5 percent and there is no good reason, you must work with employees to address it.

If companies break the rules, they face fines. In pay disputes, bosses must now prove pay is fair. Workers can get all lost pay back if treated unfairly. If your company does not comply with the law, it will be fined.

Start getting ready now as the pay transparency law going into effect in the Netherlands. Check how much people are paid and spot any gaps early. Ask your works council for help. Fix problems before the rules are enforced.