Greece: Greece Payroll Transparency Nov 1: Ministry Circular Clarifies Rules

As of 1 November 2026, Greece’s new payroll transparency obligations take effect under Circular 26923/07-10-2026 issued by the Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs. The circular implements EU Directive 2023/970 on pay transparency, requiring employers to disclose salary ranges in job postings, prohibit pay secrecy clauses, and report gender pay gaps. The regulation applies to all private and public sector employers with at least one employee, with phased reporting deadlines based on company size. Non-compliance triggers administrative fines up to €5,000 per violation. The circular provides detailed templates for the mandatory salary range disclosure in job advertisements, specifying that employers must indicate the starting salary or salary range based on the applicable collective agreement or, absent such agreement, the statutory minimum wage. Employers must also inform job applicants of the relevant collective agreement provisions before the interview stage. For existing employees, the circular establishes the right to request written information on their individual pay level and average pay levels broken down by gender for categories of workers performing the same work or work of equal value. This information must be provided within two months of request. Companies with 100 or more employees face additional reporting obligations: they must submit annual gender pay gap reports to the Labor Inspectorate (SEPE) by June 30 each year, with the first report due June 30, 2027 covering the 2026 reference period. The report must include the difference between average pay of female and male employees, the proportion of female and male employees receiving complementary or variable components, and the proportion of female and male employees in each quartile pay band. The Ministry has published an electronic platform for submission of these reports. The circular also clarifies that pay secrecy clauses in employment contracts are void and unenforceable. Employees who suffer retaliation for exercising pay transparency rights are entitled to compensation. The Hellenic Labor Inspectorate will conduct targeted audits focusing on sectors with historically high gender pay gaps, including finance, technology, and professional services.

Key Takeaways

  • Mandatory Salary Range Disclosure: Employers must include minimum and maximum salary ranges in all job advertisements and inform candidates of the applicable collective agreement provisions before interviews. This applies to all hiring channels including online platforms, recruitment agencies, and internal postings.
  • Gender Pay Gap Reporting: Companies with 100+ employees must submit annual gender pay gap reports to the Labor Inspectorate (SEPE) by June 30 each year, with first report due June 30, 2027 covering 2026 data. Reports must be submitted electronically via the new SEPE portal and include quartile pay band analysis.
  • Employee Information Rights: Workers gain the right to request and receive written information on their individual pay level and average pay levels by gender for categories performing same work or work of equal value. Employers must respond within two months; failure to comply incurs fines of €1,000 per employee per request.

Disclaimer: This article is compiled and summarized by the AI based on publicly available information and is for general information purposes only. It does not constitute any form of formal tax advice, legal opinion, or basis for performance. Please consult a qualified professional tax advisor or legal counsel for tax advice.

Source: Read Official Announcement