From today on, women in Slovakia technically work for free until the end of the year. October 22 is the Equal Pay Day for Slovakia. This means that for one euro earned by men, women receive 80.6 cents. Women earn less because they work in areas where salaries are generally lower, such as in education or social services. On the other hand, the gender pay gap between the salaries is high also in areas such as banking and the like.
The difference between the salaries of men and women in Slovakia is one of the highest in the EU countries. According to Eurostat, the gender pay gap in Slovakia was more than 19 percent in 2018, while the EU average was less than 15 percent. According to the analyst of the Institute for Labor and Family Research, Andrej Kuruc, women are offered lower wages already at job interviews.
"The public services, such as healthcare, education and social services, are kept alive and running by women in particular. Moreover, these sectors also record below-average salary assessments," explains the sociologist Zuzana Kusá.
According to the Labor Code, men and women in Slovakia have been entitled to the same salary since 2007. Although the law has been in force for many years, experience often shows that employers violate it. Their actions are described by law as discrimination on the grounds of gender. Lawyers advise women to object to discrimination. If the employer does not adjust the discriminatory salary, the issue can take a legal turn.
