An employer will soon have to tell a candidate the starting salary or salary range before pay is discussed. And asking what someone earns now, or earned before, will no longer be allowed. That is in the Dutch pay transparency bill, which minister Vijlbrief sent to parliament on 21 May. It implements an EU directive.
What changes
- The starting salary or range goes to the candidate before negotiation. Putting it in the job ad is allowed but not required.
- Asking about current or previous salary is banned.
- Employees are told every year that they have a right to pay information.
- These rules apply to every employer, whatever its size.
Employers with 100 or more staff will also report on the gender pay gap. Those with 150 or more do so for the first time by 7 June 2028, covering 2027. Employers with 100 to 149 follow in 2031.
When
The cabinet aimed for 1 January 2027. The EU deadline of 7 June 2026 has already passed, and the plenary debate is planned between mid-December and mid-January. Trade publication Rendement therefore expects the act to take effect on 1 July 2027 at the earliest, or on 1 January 2028.
What it changes in hiring
The salary conversation flips. The starting point becomes what the role is worth. What the candidate earns now no longer counts. Employers with a fair range will hardly notice. Those who negotiate per candidate will. A range that doesn't fit the market shows at once.
What you can do
- Write down a salary range for every role that you can explain.
- Ask a candidate about their desired salary. That question is allowed, and says more about the negotiation.
- Compare your ranges with the market now. Once the law applies, every candidate sees them.
Sources: Loyens & Loeff, May 2026 (in Dutch); Rendement, 22 September 2026 (in Dutch). This article is not legal advice.
Pearson & Partners discusses the desired salary with employer and candidate before the offer is on paper.