What should I do if, after accepting a new job, I notice that my colleagues receive a higher salary for the same job? And what is the EU Pay Transparency Directive?

Our lawyer responds

Several factors influence the determination of salary at the workplace. Acceptable grounds for pay differences include the demanding nature of a task, the employee’s experience, education and work performance. The starting point is that those performing the same work should receive the same pay if the content and demands of the work are similar.

If a male colleague is paid a higher salary for the same position than a female colleague and the difference cannot be justified by education, work experience or other acceptable grounds, it is worth investigating whether there may be discrimination – for example, based on gender.

The Equality Act prohibits wage discrimination. If you suspect that you have been discriminated against, you should ask your employer for an explanation of the pay gaps. The shop steward at your workplace or our employment counselling service can help you with the matter. The Ombudsman for Equality may also issue a statement on questions related to discrimination upon request.

The Pay Transparency Directive must be implemented in Finnish national legislation by summer 2026. According to the Pay Transparency Directive, employers will be required to disclose the starting salary or its range in job advertisements or before a job interview.

In addition, employers must ensure gender neutrality in job advertisements and job titles. Moreover, the employer has no right to ask about the applicant’s previous salaries during the application process.

In future, employees will also have the right to receive information on wages paid for the same or equivalent work, broken down by gender. Companies with more than 100 employees must also report on gender pay gaps. According to the directive, if there is an unexplained gender pay gap of more than 5%, the employer must conduct a salary review with employee representatives. The aim is to reduce the pay gap between women and men by increasing transparency in pay, which has been identified as one of the biggest obstacles to equal pay.

Exactly the right salary level

1. Ask for advice

When applying for a job, contact our salary counselling! We know the salaries of BBAs and can help you request the right salary.

2. Ask for justifications

If you notice that you receive a lower salary than your colleagues, ask the employer for reasons for the salary difference. If no acceptable reasons are found, the salary should be negotiated to the same level as your colleagues. You can get tips from our salary counselling regarding this as well.

3. Negotiation assistance from many parties

If you suspect pay discrimination and want to investigate the matter in more detail with the employer or if the employer is reluctant to investigate the matter, contact the shop steward at your workplace or our employment counselling service for help in the investigation and negotiations.

The tips and answers were provided by our Director of Legal Services Mia Weckman and Special Advisor Katriina Matinhelmi.