The Pay Transparency Directive: Guide for Employees
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Your contract may say that you are not allowed to discuss your pay with colleagues. From January 2027, that clause is invalid.
The EU Pay Transparency Directive gives you five concrete rights. Here is how they work in practice.
Your Five New Rights
1. Right to salary range before you apply
Before you submit an application, you must be able to see what the job pays. Employers may not ask about your current or previous salary during the hiring process.
This means you do not need to disclose your current salary to receive an offer - and that you can compare offers with actual figures.
2. Ban on pay secrecy
Your contract may not contain clauses that forbid you from discussing your salary with colleagues. Existing clauses are invalid.
You can speak freely about your pay - with colleagues, friends, on LinkedIn, or anywhere else.
3. Right to pay information about your category
You can request to be informed of the average pay for employees in your category broken down by gender. Your employer must respond within two months.
This allows you to detect whether there are systematic pay differences in your group - without knowing colleagues' individual pay.
4. Right to explanation of your individual pay
You can request a written explanation of what determines your pay - and what criteria underlie it.
If your employer cannot justify the pay difference with objective criteria, you are entitled to compensation.
5. The burden of proof is reversed
Previously you had to prove that you were discriminated against. Now your employer must prove that you were not.
This is the most important structural change. Making discrimination plausible is enough to shift the burden of proof.
When Does It Apply?
The directive is implemented in Danish law with a deadline of 7 January 2027. The Danish bill was introduced in February 2026.
From that date, all rights apply - whether you are already employed or looking for a new job.
How to Use Your Rights
The most important preparation is knowing your market value. Rights without data give you a platform to stand on - but not a concrete argument.
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Get your free salary reportFrequently asked questions
Can my employer still ask me to keep my salary secret?
No. The EU directive prohibits explicit pay secrecy clauses. Your employer may not contractually oblige you not to share your pay with colleagues. Existing clauses of this type are invalid.
What happens if my employer refuses to give me pay information?
You have the right to complain to the Board of Equal Treatment. The burden of proof shifts to your employer, who must prove that any pay reduction is based on objective criteria and not gender.
Can I see exactly what my colleague earns?
Not exactly. You have the right to receive the average pay for your category of employees broken down by gender - not the individual salary. This gives you a picture of whether there are systematic differences.
Do the rights apply from the first day of employment?
The right to receive the salary range when applying applies from the time of application. The right to pay information about colleague categories applies once you are employed. The right to demand an explanation of your individual pay applies immediately.