Work of equal value (article 4)

Pay gaps are compared within categories of workers doing the same work or work of equal value. How you build those categories decides most of the result.

The principle

Employers must have pay structures that ensure equal pay for equal work or work of equal value.

Art. 4(1) Directive (EU) 2023/970

Member States shall take the necessary measures to ensure that employers have pay structures ensuring equal pay for equal work or work of equal value.

Source: EUR-Lex, © European Union, https://eur-lex.europa.eu

The criteria

Value is assessed on objective, gender-neutral criteria agreed with workers' representatives where they exist. The criteria include skills, effort, responsibility and working conditions, and soft skills must not be undervalued.

Art. 4(4) Directive (EU) 2023/970

Pay structures shall be such as to enable the assessment of whether workers are in a comparable situation in regard to the value of work on the basis of objective, gender-neutral criteria agreed with workers’ representatives where such representatives exist. Those criteria shall not be based directly or indirectly on workers’ sex. They shall include skills, effort, responsibility and working conditions, and, if appropriate, any other factors which are relevant to the specific job or position. They shall be applied in an objective gender-neutral manner, excluding any direct or indirect discrimination based on sex. In particular, relevant soft skills shall not be undervalued.

Source: EUR-Lex, © European Union, https://eur-lex.europa.eu

Definitions

Work of equal value and categories of workers are both defined by reference to those criteria.

Art. 3(1)(g) Directive (EU) 2023/970

‘work of equal value’ means work that is determined to be of equal value in accordance with the non-discriminatory and objective gender-neutral criteria referred to in Article 4(4);

Source: EUR-Lex, © European Union, https://eur-lex.europa.eu

Art. 3(1)(h) Directive (EU) 2023/970

‘category of workers’ means workers performing the same work or work of equal value grouped in a non-arbitrary manner based on the non-discriminatory and objective gender-neutral criteria referred to in Article 4(4), by the workers’ employer and, where applicable, in cooperation with the workers’ representatives in accordance with national law and/or practice.

Source: EUR-Lex, © European Union, https://eur-lex.europa.eu

Italy: collective agreements

Applying a CCNL signed by the comparatively most representative unions is presumed to comply, and “work of equal value” refers to the CCNL's classification levels.

Art. 4, comma 1, D.Lgs. 96/2026

I contratti collettivi nazionali di lavoro e le disposizioni di legge assicurano sistemi di determinazione e classificazione retributiva fondati su criteri oggettivi e neutri rispetto al genere, idonei a garantire la parita' di retribuzione per uno stesso lavoro o per un lavoro di pari valore. L'applicazione di un contratto collettivo nazionale di lavoro stipulato da organizzazioni sindacali comparativamente piu' rappresentative sul piano nazionale, comprensivo dei sistemi di classificazione professionale, inquadramento e trattamento economico, costituisce presunzione di conformita' ai principi di parita' retributiva e di trasparenza, ferma restando la dimostrazione dell'esistenza di trattamenti retributivi individuali discriminatori.

Original text in Italian.

Source: Gazzetta Ufficiale della Repubblica Italiana, GU Serie Generale n. 125 del 1 giugno 2026 (codice redazionale 26G00112)

Art. 4, comma 2, lett. b), D.Lgs. 96/2026

per «lavoro di pari valore», la prestazione lavorativa diversa svolta nell'esercizio di mansioni comparabili, previste dai livelli di inquadramento stabiliti dal CCNL applicato dal datore di lavoro o, in mancanza, del CCNL siglato dalle organizzazioni sindacali comparativamente piu' rappresentative sul piano nazionale per il settore di riferimento.

Original text in Italian.

Source: Gazzetta Ufficiale della Repubblica Italiana, GU Serie Generale n. 125 del 1 giugno 2026 (codice redazionale 26G00112)

Building categories in practice

Score each job on the four factor groups, check the scores for links with the share of women in each job, then group jobs with similar scores. Record the method: workers' representatives can ask for it.

General information, not legal advice. National rules can differ.