What to Expect Next in the Fight for Gender Equality in the Workplace?

International Women’s Day is a symbolic milestone in the fight against the oppression and discrimination of women, as well as in the achievement of rights that were previously denied to them. However, it also calls for reflection on the persistent inequalities that remain.

Despite the progress made in gender equality, marking this date remains extremely important today, considering that, even now, in different regions, social contexts, and to varying degrees, women still face discrimination and violence.

This is particularly true in the labor market, which has historically been susceptible to gender-based discrimination. In recent years, European and national legislative initiatives have been strengthened to protect women against discriminatory practices in the workplace, especially regarding pay disparities.

In Portugal, according to the latest data from the Gender Pay Gap Barometer, the wage gap between men and women, based on base salary, stands at an average of 13.2% to the detriment of women. In practical terms, this percentage means that women, in comparison to men, would essentially be working 48 days unpaid each year.

To address this issue, Law No. 60/2018, which came into effect on February 21, 2019, introduced measures to promote equal pay between women and men for equal work or work of equal value. Among these measures, companies with 50 or more employees that, according to published statistical data, show gender-based pay disparities must submit a pay gap assessment plan.

The beginning of 2025 has been marked by a nationwide labor inspection initiative led by the Authority for Working Conditions (ACT), which has been notifying companies to submit the required assessment plan. This plan must comprehensively identify all job positions and analyze them based on objective, gender-neutral, and universally applicable criteria for both men and women.

If unjustified pay gaps are identified, companies must implement corrective measures within the following 12 months to eliminate these disparities. The results of this implementation must then be reported to ACT, demonstrating which wage differences are justified and how unjustified disparities have been corrected.

Starting in 2026, this regulatory framework will be further reinforced by the European Pay Transparency Directive, which will require greater salary transparency from companies to facilitate the detection of potential unjustified discrimination.

Among the new obligations for companies, one of the key requirements will be to inform employees about the average pay levels for the same roles, broken down by gender, as well as the criteria used to determine salary and career progression. This will help to identify and combat discriminatory practices more effectively.

However, despite legislative advances and public policies aimed at combating gender-based discrimination, the path to true equality in the workplace is far from complete.

It is the combined efforts of authorities, businesses, and society’s commitment to equality that will ultimately prove decisive in ensuring that women can achieve equal opportunities and fair treatment in the labor market.