transparency, data, and equity: your guide to a new era in engineering pay in 2026.

tl;dr / summary:

• A labour code revolution: the implementation of the EU Directive spanning 2025/2026 marks the end of the salary confidentiality era in the Polish tech sector.
• No more salary history questions: recruiters are now banned from asking about your previous earnings; the priority is on competency and the market value of the role.
• Transparency in ads: publishing salary bands (ranges) along with all components—including bonuses and benefits—is now a standard obligation.
• New tools for employees: you now have the right to information regarding average earnings for similar positions, broken down by gender, backed by whistleblower protection status.
• The management challenge: companies with over 100 employees must report on the gender pay gap; exceeding a 5% threshold triggers immediate corrective action.

The era of the "pay black box" - where negotiations felt like a game of poker played in the dark, and salary discrepancies for identical engineering roles were a taboo subject—is fading into obscurity. In its place comes radical transparency, enforced by the implementation of the EU Directive into the Polish Labour Code at the turn of 2025 and 2026.

For engineers and management in Poland, whether you are managing projects in the automotive sector or designing embedded systems, the rules have fundamentally changed. Today’s career trajectory is built on hard data, not historical baggage. This is an opportunity to heal the employer-employee relationship and build a culture based on true meritocracy.

the new recruitment reality: no more guessing games.

The days when a candidate had to show their hand first regarding financial expectations, without knowing the company’s budget, are over.

mandatory salary ranges.

Employers are now obliged to disclose projected salary bands in their job advertisements. However, this goes beyond just the base salary. Transparency covers:

• Base pay: for both Contracts of Employment (UoP) and B2B contracts.
• Regulatory & project bonuses: performance and milestone-based incentives.
• Perks & non-monetary benefits: tangible benefits included in the package.

If these figures do not appear in the public ad, they must be provided to the candidate prior to signing the contract. This is critical for engineers, where the "total package" often includes high-value items like specialised certifications or access to R&D laboratories.

ban on "historical" rate inquiries.

This is one of the most significant shifts. A recruiter no longer has the legal right to ask you about your earnings at a previous employer. This allows engineers who were paid below market rates in previous years to hit "reset," ensuring their valuation is based solely on their current competencies and the potential they bring to the new organisation.

define your worth: negotiation strategy 2.0.

Knowledge is power, but it requires the right application. How do you negotiate in a world where the salary bands are public?

1. Data benchmarking: compare offered ranges against salary reports specific to your niche (e.g., Robot Operating System specialists or AI in engineering).
2. Evidence-based value: instead of operating on emotion, focus on hard evidence—certificates, implemented patents, or specific production cost optimisation metrics.
3. Holistic negotiations: remember that the definition of remuneration is broad. If the base pay is rigid, focus on the "variables" that the transparency laws have brought to light.

arming the employee: the right to know and protection.

New regulations provide employees with tools that were previously the domain of auditors.

the right to ask for the average.

Every employee has the right to request information on average pay levels for individuals performing the same work (or work of equal value), broken down by gender. The employer has a strict 30-day window to provide this answer.

reversed burden of proof.

This is the "nuclear option" in pay discrimination disputes. If you point out an inequality, the burden is on the employer to prove in court that the difference results from objective criteria (e.g., seniority, performance) and not from gender or other protected characteristics.

Important: Employees exercising these rights acquire whistleblower status. This ensures full protection against retaliatory actions, such as being passed over for promotion or dismissal.

future-proofing: where is the industry heading?

Transparency is not just a legal requirement; in 2026, it is a cornerstone of Employer Branding. Top-tier engineers will flock to companies that are not afraid to speak openly about how and why they pay what they pay.

If you are ready to navigate this new, transparent pay landscape, now is the time to invest in understanding your own market value.

FAQs - everything you need to know about transparency 2026.