33 days to close the gap
21 February 2025
Monday was Equal Pay Day in Estonia – the point when women, on average, have earned what men made at the end of last year. With a gender pay gap of 13.1%, women in Estonia have to work 33 extra days to catch up. Despite the gap having shrunk by 47% in the past decade, it still remains Europe's highest.
In an attempt to further close the gap, Estonia plans to increase wage transparency next year by enforcing the EU Pay Transparency Directive. Adopted in 2023, this law requires employers to disclose salaries before interviews, giving employees stronger negotiating power. How exactly Estonia will do it remains to be seen – a first draft of this new legislation is expected by the summer.
 | Saara Saskia Sutt It seems to be a trend in the region, as in 2022, the gap in most Northern European countries was above the European average of 13.1%. Why, then, is it the highest in Estonia? There are no clear explanations, but some of it could be explained with gender stereotypes (which are still engrained in Estonian society) that shape education and career paths. There are also more women in education and care professions, where salaries are lower. The division of unpaid work is also unequal. A recent analysis shows that women in Estonia do way more unpaid work – up to €2.9 billion worth – than men annually. They spend more hours on house chores and often hit the so-called 'glass ceiling', which limits their presence in higher (also better paid) positions – accounting for a quarter of Estonia's gender pay gap. This gap limits financial independence, makes it harder for women to leave abusive relationships, and leads to a pension gap. |
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