As of this summer, job applicants will have the legal right to ask for the salary of the position they are applying for. Similarly, workers will be given the right via a legal notice to request details related to their pay, including what is their gross annual wage and their hourly salary.

This was announced in a press conference by the Parliamentary Secretary for Social Dialogue, Andy Ellul on Friday morning.

Ellul said that this legal notice – published on Friday morning in the Government’s Gazette – will increase workplace transparency on wages for workers already employed, as well as for those applying for a job.

These proposals will be enacted on 27 August 2025.

Calling this “another government proposal to boost workers’ rights,” Ellul said that for people applying for a new job, this measure will make applicants more comfortable to ask for information related to the position’s salary, as well as how that wage may increase over time with the employer.

In such cases, such information must be disclosed to the person concerned in writing before they commence their new job.

“Through these measures, we will be increasing transparency in the workplace,” Ellul said.

Ellul stated that through the legally enshrined right to learn about a vacant position’s pay details during the interview, this measure should eliminate cases of abuse from employers’ end. In addition, he said that with applicants having better peace of mind when applying for a vacancy, this law amendment should allow employers to make use of their resources more effectively.

People already employed will be empowered to ask their bosses for details related to their current salary, such as their gross annual pay and hourly rate, as well as clarify the pay scale figures for those in the same line and category of work within that same company. In this regard, Ellul clarified that the latter information cannot be requested with respect to any single person.

He said that is being done to address workplace discrepancies and should help eliminate cases of workplace discrimination.

This measure is also applicable towards jobs whose wages adhere to collective agreements, he said.

This information should be given in writing in a reasonable timeframe, Ellul said, and not later than two months after the request was made. In cases where this timeframe is breached, workers will be advised to visit the Department of Industrial and Employment Relations (DIER) for assistance. He added that in such cases, DIER will do its utmost for an agreement to be reached between the two parties outside of Court.

Ellul commented that this proposal should serve as preparation for employers to manage their resources, such that they should organise their operations and have this information ready in case any of their employees make any of these requests once this is enacted in late August.

The Chairperson Employment Relations Board, Roselyn Borg, thanked the members of her Board as well as the DIER for its work to bring this measure to life. She said that employment law must always be updated to seek constant balance between employers and workers, and that this will give more “important certainty” to workers before and after being given a job.

She concluded that this is a stepping stone towards having a “very important” directive related to equal pay.

The Parliamentary Secretary added that this announcement means the fulfilment of measure 182 from the government’s electoral manifesto.