Pay transparency rules in France
Not yet. France missed the deadline and a draft bill is moving through the legislative process, with the government targeting entry into force on 1 January 2028. France already runs its own gender-equality Index for employers with 50 or more staff.
France has not yet transposed the EU Pay Transparency Directive (Directive (EU) 2023/970). It missed the 7 June 2026 deadline, but a draft bill is moving through the legislative process and was sent for advisory review in June 2026. The government aims for entry into force on 1 January 2028, with a vote sought before the end of 2026. France already has the Index de l’egalite professionnelle, under which employers with 50 or more staff publish a gender-equality score each year by 1 March, so the Directive builds on an existing reporting culture. Once the new law passes, employers can expect a pay range in job adverts, a ban on asking candidates about previous pay, an expanded right to pay information, and a joint pay assessment where an unjustified gap of 5 percent or more appears.
What is the current status in France?
France missed the deadline. A draft bill is in the legislative pipeline, with the government targeting entry into force on 1 January 2028.
The Labour Ministry advanced a draft bill in June 2026 for advisory review ahead of the Council of Ministers. The government has said it aims for the new rules to take effect on 1 January 2028, with a parliamentary vote sought before the end of 2026. The exact content, including the number of pay-gap indicators, is expected to be settled by a future implementing decree, so detail can still change.
What does France already require?
Employers with 50 or more staff already publish a gender-equality Index score each year by 1 March under existing French law.
The Index de l’egalite professionnelle scores employers on pay-gap and progression measures. The Directive is expected to keep France’s 50-employee threshold and build the new transparency duties on top of this existing framework.
What will change for employers once France legislates?
Job adverts will need to show a pay level or range, employers cannot ask candidates about previous pay, and the gender pay-gap reporting framework expands, with penalties for non-compliance.
Based on the draft, employers will state a starting pay or range in job adverts and cannot ask candidates about previous remuneration. The reporting framework expands beyond the current Index. Confirmed penalties include up to around 1 percent of total payroll for reporting failures, a fixed fine for other breaches, and, for sex-discrimination breaches, up to two years imprisonment plus a fine of EUR 7,500.
How does this work if you hire through an EOR?
Teamed is the legal employer in France, so the existing Index duties and the future transparency duties for your team sit with Teamed. We keep your hiring and pay practices compliant and track the bill as it moves.
At a glance
| Pay shown in job ads | Proposed (pay range in adverts) |
|---|---|
| Salary-history question banned | Proposed |
| Gender pay-gap reporting from | Proposed (existing Index threshold: 50+ employees) |
| First report due | Not set (target in force 1 January 2028) |
| Penalties | Proposed: up to ~1 percent of payroll; fixed fines; discrimination up to 2 years plus EUR 7,500 |
Key figures
| Detail | Value |
|---|---|
| Transposition status | Not transposed; draft bill in the legislative process (source) |
| EU transposition deadline | 7 June 2026 (missed by France) (source) |
| Targeted entry into force | 1 January 2028 (government aim; vote sought before end 2026) (source) |
| Existing French rule | Index de l’egalite professionnelle: employers with 50+ staff publish a gender-equality score yearly by 1 March (source) |
| Penalties (proposed) | Up to about 1 percent of total payroll for reporting failures; a fixed fine for other breaches; sex-discrimination breaches up to 2 years imprisonment plus a EUR 7,500 fine (source) |
| Joint pay assessment trigger (EU baseline) | Unjustified gap of 5 percent or more in a worker category (source) |
Frequently asked questions
Has France transposed the EU Pay Transparency Directive?
Not yet. France missed the 7 June 2026 deadline. A draft bill is moving through the legislative process, with the government targeting entry into force on 1 January 2028.
Does France already require gender pay reporting?
Yes. Employers with 50 or more staff publish a gender-equality Index score each year by 1 March. The Directive is expected to build on this existing framework.
Can we ask a French candidate about their current pay?
Once the new law is in force, no. The draft bans asking candidates about previous remuneration and requires a pay level or range in job adverts.
Pay transparency is moving at different speeds across the EU. When Teamed is your legal employer in France, these duties sit with us: compliant pay ranges, the salary-history rule, employee pay-information requests, and reporting where it applies. We track the law as it changes so your hiring stays compliant.
