Employee Q&A

Answers to common questions about your pay transparency rights under the EU Pay Transparency Directive. Not country-specific—this reflects the EU-level rights; national rules may add or clarify details.

Employee Q&A

First: what does “transposition” mean, and why should I care?

What does “transposition” mean?

Applying for jobs: “I don’t want to waste time—what will I earn?”

When I apply, do I have a right to know the pay?

Can they ask me what I earned in my last job?

What does “pay range” actually mean—does it include bonus?

If the range is wide, is it still useful?

Starting the job: “What exactly is my compensation?”

What’s the simplest way to think about my compensation?

Why do people talk about “gross” and “net” salary?

Do I have a right to know how the company decides pay levels?

What are “objective, gender-neutral criteria” in normal words?

First months on the job: “Am I in a pay band? Where do I sit?”

Do I have a right to know my “pay band” and where I am in it?

Can I ask what I need to do to earn more?

Is it normal that raises feel “random”?

Comparing pay: “Who am I allowed to compare myself to?”

Who counts as my “comparison group” for pay fairness?

What does “work of equal value” mean in simple terms?

What if there is no perfect coworker to compare to?

Your direct rights as an employee: “What can I request right now?”

Can I request information about pay levels and gender averages?

How fast must the employer respond?

What if their answer is vague or seems incomplete?

Am I allowed to talk about my pay with coworkers?

Big-company reporting: “Will I see public gender pay gap numbers?”

Will companies have to report their gender pay gap?

Which employers must report—and when?

Will this information be easy to find?

“We found a gap—what happens now?”

What is the “5% rule” I keep hearing about?

What is a “joint pay assessment” in plain language?

Does leave (maternity/paternity/parental/carers) matter here?

If you feel underpaid: “What can I do without blowing up my job?”

What if I’m afraid of retaliation for asking?

If I bring a claim, who has to prove what?

Can I force them to show evidence (documents/data)?

Is there a time limit to take action?

If discrimination is confirmed, what can I get?

The “employee journey” questions—reframed in very simple words

“Do I even know what I should be paid for this job?”

“Who decides my pay—my manager, HR, or a rulebook?”

“How do I move up—what do I have to do?”

“Can I ask: am I paid fairly compared to others?”

“What if I think my job is graded wrong?”

“What if I feel underpaid because of gender but I can’t prove it?”

“Will I get punished for asking?”

“In job search, will I finally see salary earlier?”

“Can they still ask me for my old salary?”

What you should expect to vary by country after transposition

What will differ between countries?