04.05.2026 11:33
The transposition of the European directive amending rules about employee remuneration is currently a hotly discussed topic. This has inspired the circulation of various “guaranteed” pieces of information, tips, and recommendations. However, we cannot expect the new act to be adopted before autumn 2026. Until then, it is advisable to refrain from preparing specific changes and documents.
The forthcoming legislation transposes the European Union law, namely the Directive 2023/970 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 10 May, 2023 to strengthen the application of the principle of equal pay for equal work or work of equal value between men and women through pay transparency and enforcement mechanisms.
From the very title of the directive, it is clear that the new legal framework will significantly affect the rules governing employee remuneration.
In particular, employers are likely to be given the following additional obligations:
- Obligations related to pre-contractual negotiations prior to the establishment of an employment relationship (including agreements on work performed outside an employment relationship).
- An obligation to establish and communicate the remuneration system, i.e. the manner in which employees are remunerated—particularly the form, components, and structure of remuneration for work, including the classification of work into categories according to its value, as determined by complexity, responsibility, and working conditions/effort.
- Obligations relating to the provision of information on remuneration and to negotiations with employees or their representatives regarding differences in pay.
Best To Wait for the Final Version of the Act Before Preparing Changes
Given the volume and diversity of advice on how to prepare for the new legislation, we find it essential to emphasize that any specific adjustments should be deferred until we have access to the final wording of the new rules. The final version of the act which will go into effect may differ significantly from the current draft. It is therefore difficult to provide any “guaranteed” guidance at this time.
A draft of the act is currently undergoing the ministerial comment procedure and has not yet been submitted to the Chamber of Deputies of the Parliament of the Czech Republic. Given the deadlines for submitting and settling comments on the part of the Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs, as well as the time needed for subsequent review by the Government Legislative Council, we might expect the submission of the draft to the Chamber of Deputies around June of this year.
In addition to that, time required for consideration by the Chamber of Deputies, the Senate, and for the signature by the President must be added, which all together would take no less than three months. Moreover, the Chamber of Deputies does not usually convene in July and August. Therefore, we cannot expect the act to be adopted earlier than in the autumn of this year.
The proposed date for the new act to come into effect is January 1st, 2027.
The anticipated timeline of the legislative process appears to be similarly understood by the proposer, i.e. the Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs which proposed the effective date to be January 1st, 2027. This is despite the fact that the deadline for transposition of the directive into the legal orders of the EU Member States will have lapsed on June 7th, 2026.