EU Pay Transparency Directive: What It Means for Poland

The EU Pay Transparency Directive (Directive (EU) 2023/970) aims to strengthen pay equality across the European Union. In Poland, partial rules are effective from 1 January 2026, introducing salary range disclosure in job postings and employee pay information rights. This guide explains what the directive means for employers, employees, and payroll teams in Poland, and how Payslip can help ensure compliance.

1. Objectives of the EU Pay Transparency Directive

The directive strengthens pay equality across the EU by:

• Increasing salary transparency in job postings, promotions, and pay setting

• Granting employees the right to access pay information

• Encouraging medium and large employers to report gender pay gaps

• Enforcing compliance through penalties, corrective measures, and compensation

• Prohibiting pay secrecy clauses that restrict wage discussions

Keywords included: EU Pay Transparency Poland, pay transparency law Poland, gender pay gap reporting

2. Poland Implementation Timeline

• Partial rules effective: 1 January 2026

• Scope of initial implementation: Salary range disclosure in job postings, employee right to pay information

• Full transposition expected: TBD, aligned with EU-wide deadlines

3. Who the Directive Applies To in Poland

• Workers: Employees and similar employment relationships

• Employers: Public and private sector companies

• Thresholds: All companies must disclose salary ranges; gender pay gap reporting will apply to medium and large companies once fully transposed

4. Employer Responsibilities in Poland

Recruitment Transparency

• Include salary ranges in all job postings

• Avoid asking candidates about previous salary history

Pay-Setting & Career Progression

• Use objective, gender-neutral criteria when setting pay and promotions

Employee Right to Pay Information

Employees can request:

• Their own pay

• Average pay for comparable roles

Employers must respond within statutory deadlines

Gender Pay Gap Reporting (Future Scope)

• Medium and large employers will report gender pay gap metrics once full transposition occurs

• Justification required for unexplained pay gaps

5. Benefits for Employees

• Clear salary expectations before joining

• Access to comparative pay information

• Legal protection against discriminatory pay practices

6. Consequences for Non-Compliance

• Employees may receive full compensation for pay discrepancies

• Employers may face fines and penalties

• Burden of proof may shift to employers in pay discrimination cases

7. Payroll Implications in Poland

Payroll teams play a central role in compliance. Key responsibilities include:

Data to Track:

• Base pay, bonuses, allowances, benefits, working hours

Processes to Support Compliance:

• Respond to employee pay information requests

• Prepare datasets for gender pay gap reporting

• Support HR with gender-neutral job evaluations

Controls:

• Track promotions, salary changes, and one-off payments

• Ensure confidentiality of sensitive pay data

8. How Payslip Can Help Polish Payroll Teams

Payslip simplifies pay transparency compliance by:

• Centralizing reporting across all payroll systems

• Delivering on-demand salary and pay information metrics

• Automating employee information requests

• Integrating with HR and finance systems

Payroll teams can reduce administrative burden, stay compliant, and provide timely insights to HR and leadership.

9. Next Steps for Polish Employers

• Review payroll processes and employee categories

• Prepare for employee pay information requests

• Align recruitment practices with salary range disclosure rules

• Monitor EU transposition updates and build a compliance roadmap

See Payslip in action! Book a demo with one of our friendly team members today