Survey: Women in Slovakia Will Work Final Two Months of Year for Free

Bratislava, October 19 (TASR) - The gap in remuneration between women and men in the same posts is currently 18.4 percent, which means that women in Slovakia will work the final two months of the year for free, according to the latest 'Equal Pay Day' survey, carried out by the 2muse agency on a sample of 1,015 respondents between September 3-9, 2024. An initial salary of women starting their career amounts to €1,460, which is €41 less than that of men. "These figures are all the more disturbing when we realise that women often hold key positions in the field of health, education or social services, where their contribution to society is invaluable," stated 'Action Women' magazine general director Martina Novotna. The survey further showed that in addition to women, people in the 55+ age category are disadvantaged on the labour market as well. They have problems finding new jobs, being often disqualified by prejudices regarding their adaptation to new technologies. According to Patricia Kollar of the 2muse agency, firms invite them for interviews only rarely, as they prefer younger and less experienced people who are cheaper for them. It is also more difficult for older people to negotiate a salary increase. Kollar added that 57 percent of respondents feel unequal remuneration based on age in Slovakia, while it is as much as 60 percent in the case of gender. Younger employees under 30 also feel increasingly pressed to perform better, with 24 percent of them preferring to work with peers over older colleagues. Kollar believes that the introduction of the directive on income transparency, when companies will be obliged to issue a report on the salary gap between their employees, might help deal with the inequality of pay between women and men. ko/mcs/mf