Directive (EU) 2023/970 · Article 7
Workers' right to pay information
Employees can ask what others doing work of equal value are paid, broken down by gender — and you have a deadline to answer.
What workers can ask for
A worker (individually, or through their representatives) can request their own pay level and the average pay levels, broken down by sex, for the categories of workers doing the same work or work of equal value to theirs. The aim is to let an individual test whether they may be underpaid relative to comparable colleagues.
The employer's duty
Employers must inform all workers annually of this right and how to use it, and respond to a request within a reasonable period — in any event within two months. Pay-secrecy clauses that stop workers disclosing their own pay for equal-pay purposes are prohibited.
Why a process beats ad-hoc answers
Handling each request by hand risks missed deadlines and inconsistent figures pulled from scattered data. A logged, templated workflow that draws the answer from your own verified figures keeps every response compliant, consistent and on time.
Frequently asked
What pay information can an employee request?
Their individual pay level, and the average pay levels broken down by gender for workers doing the same work or work of equal value.
How long does an employer have to respond?
Within a reasonable period, and in any event within two months of the request.
Can an employer stop staff discussing their pay?
No. Clauses preventing workers from disclosing their pay for the purpose of enforcing equal pay are not permitted.
Based on Directive (EU) 2023/970, Art. 7, via EUR-Lex, and practitioner summaries. Confirm specifics against your national transposition.