Greece is preparing major changes to its hiring and pay transparency rules, with new legislation set to give job applicants the right to know salary information before attending an interview.
The proposed labor reform, presented by Labor and Social Security Minister Niki Kerameus, aims to address persistent wage inequalities, particularly those affecting women and certain professional sectors.
Although equal pay for equal work is already guaranteed under the Greek Constitution, the minister acknowledged that significant disparities remain. The new bill focuses on eliminating unjustified pay gaps rather than imposing uniform salaries across professions.
Under the proposed rules, employers will be required to disclose either the salary or the salary range for a position during the recruitment process. Companies will also have to provide information about any applicable collective labor agreement connected to the role.
At the same time, employers will no longer be allowed to ask candidates about their previous salaries. Recruitment procedures must also remain gender-neutral and free from discrimination.
The legislation strengthens workers’ rights during employment as well. Employees will have the right to equal pay for the same work or work of equal value, with compensation defined broadly to include salaries, bonuses, allowances, overtime pay, benefits in kind and occupational pensions.
Workers will also be able to request information about their own pay level, as well as anonymized data showing the average salaries of male and female employees performing similar roles.
The bill introduces mandatory pay gap audits for both private companies and public sector organizations. Businesses with more than 250 employees will be required to conduct annual reviews, while companies with 100 to 249 workers will carry out checks every three years, depending on company size and implementation timelines.
Employees who believe they are victims of pay discrimination will have the right to seek legal action, request salary data and receive representation from labor unions or the Greek Ombudsman.
The draft law is expected to enter public consultation soon before being submitted to parliament for approval.
The government also announced additional labor-related measures affecting healthcare workers and ambulance staff. Nurses, assistant nurses, ambulance drivers and rescuers working in demanding conditions are expected to be included in a special category that would allow retirement at age 62, provided they meet specific insurance and work-year requirements.
