Estonia sidestepping Pay Transparency Directive
The Estonian government is resisting the EU Pay Transparency Directive adopted in 2023, saying it does not want the bureaucratic burden. The directive aims to reduce the gender pay gap. Member states were given until June this year to implement it, with businesses required to ensure transparency and introduce measures to pay men and women equally.
Cynical standpoint
The Estonian equal opportunities officer Christian Veske voices his disappointment on ERR Online:
“Estonia has the highest gender pay gap in the EU, and the delay in implementing this guideline essentially means that we are accepting this inequality. Furthermore, the government has indicated that, if push comes to shove, Estonia would rather pay fines than increase the administrative burden on businesses. This is an incredibly cynical standpoint which shows that the state is prepared to spend taxpayers' money on avoiding taking steps to protect the basic rights of taxpaying employees.”
Flouting clear majority opinion
Commenting in Õhtuleht, Kadi Viik, co-founder of feminist NGO Feministeerium, is incensed:
“The problem is not so much that the government is deliberately trying to position itself as business-friendly. ... The problem is the sheer dishonesty, the justification of political decisions with fanciful explanations and the lack of credibility. ... A full 92 percent of the Estonian population think that job advertisements should feature salary ranges. Is there anything else that the public so clearly favours and where there is no sign of 'ideology' or polarisation?”
Fines plus loss of reputation
Verslo žinios explains how the EU directive works:
“Of course, there can be no full equality – nor is that the explicit aim of the directive. However, employers must be objective and transparent in justifying pay differences. This is because the issue extends beyond the potential fines or substantial compensation that employees may claim for unfair treatment. Employers also risk a loss to their reputation. If such injustice goes public, it damages their image.”