Index of professional equality

Verified 12 February 2024 - Directorate for Legal and Administrative Information (Prime Minister)

The Equal Opportunity Index is a tool for calculating the gender pay gap in the company. He is compulsory for any company with at least 50 employees over the past year. It must be published annually, no later than 1er March.

The index of professional equality varies according to the number of employees in the company.

1 to 49 employees

The companies with less than 50 employees are not affected by the index of professional equality.

50 to 250 employees

Reference period

The employer must choose 12 consecutive months serving as reference period for calculating the index.

The employer shall carry out and report annually the calculations necessary for the compilation of the index, on the basis of data from the chosen annual reference period preceding the year of publication of the indicators.

Example: The reference period can be 1er June 2022 to May 31, 2023 for the index to be published in 2024.

Please note

The employer may decide to calculate the indicator of the rate of individual wage increases between women and men over a 2 or 3 year multi-year period.

Its multiannual character may be reviewed every 3 years.

Employees to be taken into account for the calculation of indicators

The number of employees to be taken into account for the calculation of the indicators is the reference period annual selected by the employer.

The employer must exclude calculations on:

  • Apprentices
  • Holders of a professionalization contract
  • Employees made available to the company by an outdoor company
  • Expatriate employees
  • Employees absent more than half of the reference period considered

Characteristics of employees taken into account

The following individual characteristics of employees are required in the calculation of the indicators:

  • Age
  • Hierarchical level or coefficient (in application of branch classification)
  • Level according to the method of rating company items
  • Socio-occupational category

These individual characteristics are considered:

  • On the last day of the annual reference period chosen by the employer
  • Either on the last day of the employee's presence in the company

Elements of remuneration to be taken into account for the calculation of indicators

The remuneration of each employee shall be reconstituted in full-time equivalent over the relevant annual reference period.

The employer should not take into account the following remuneration:

  • Redundancy payments
  • Retirement allowances
  • Premiums linked to a particular subject which does not concern the employee’s person (e.g. dirt premium, cold premium, premium for opening/closing a shop, premium for stand-by duty, etc.).
  • Seniority Bonuses
  • Overtime
  • Additional hours
  • Payments in respect of the profit-sharing and participation

Collective bonuses granted to all employees, regardless of their work position, should be included in the remuneration (e.g. transport premium or holiday premium).

"Bonuses", commissions on products, objective bonuses linked to the individual performance of the employee, which vary from one individual to another for the same position, must be taken into account.

Bareth

One note on 100 shall be awarded by adding the points obtained by the following four indicators:

  • Pay Gap between women and men, on 40 dots
  • Individual Increase Rate Variance between women and men, on 35 dots
  • Percentage of female employees who received an increase within one year of their return from maternity leave, on 15 dots
  • Number of employees of the under-represented sex among the 10 employees who received highest salaries, on 10 dots

Calculation of the occupational equality index

The Ministry responsible for labor has developed the tool Egapro, on which the index is to be calculated.

Calculate and declare the Egapro occupational equality index

Statement on Egapro

All companies with at least 50 employees must publish the results obtained when calculating the index on Egapro. Such publication shall take place every year, no later than 1er March.

All the information is thus transmitted to the services of the minister responsible for labor.

Calculate and declare the Egapro occupational equality index

FYI  

The company that does not declare its index of professional equality may be sanctioned.

The penalty may be up to 1% remuneration and earnings paid to employed persons or persons treated as such during the period in which the company has not complied with this obligation.

Integration of the index into the BDESE and the company's website

The index of occupational equality and the results of each of its indicators must be integrated into the Economic, Social and Environmental Database (EESDB) in order to be made available to Social and Economic Committee (ESC).

The results are presented by socio-professional category, level or hierarchical coefficient or according to the levels of the rating method of the positions of the company. This publication should be accompanied by all relevant details, in particular concerning the methodology applied.

Indicators that cannot be calculated must also be included. They must then be accompanied by full details explaining why the indicators could not be calculated.

The index and the results obtained for each indicator must also be published on the company's website, no later than 1er March of each year. This publication must be visible and legible.

The information shall be available at least until the publication of the results of the following year. If the company does not have a website, it must inform its employees of the outcome.

Do the results of the occupational equality index have any consequences?

The number of points obtained by the company has an impact on its obligations.

Répondez aux questions successives et les réponses s’afficheront automatiquement

Index <75

Corrective measures

Companies that score less than 75 points must implement corrective measures, which may include the programming of financial measures to catch up wages.

The content of these corrective measures shall be determined:

  • If this was provided for, during the negotiations on occupational equality between women and men. It shall take place at least once every 4 years between the employer and the representative trade unions.
  • Otherwise, by decision of the employer, after consultation with the ESC.

Corrective measures shall be published on the website of the company where one exists, on the same page as the index's output level and the output of each measure. They must remain available on the company's website until the mark is at least 75. The employer must also inform its employees.

These corrective measures must also be integrated into the BDESE.

Corrective measures must also be posted on Egapro. All the information is thus transmitted to the services of the minister responsible for labor.

Calculate and declare the Egapro occupational equality index

Sanctions

The company that gets a hit less than 75 points for 3 consecutive years may be penalized.

The penalty may be up to 1% remuneration and earnings paid to employed persons or persons treated as such during the calendar year preceding the expiry of the three-year period.

This amount is calculated on the basis of income from activities.

Index between 75 and 85

Companies that score between 75 and 85 points must attach progress targets for each of the indicators for which the maximum score has not been reached.

These targets are set by the employer

They must be published on the website of the company where one exists, on the same page as the output level and output of each indicator. They must remain available on the company's website until the company has achieved a score of at least 85 points. The employer must also inform its employees by any means.

These goals for progress must also be integrated into the BDESE.

Progress targets should also be published on Egapro. All the information is thus transmitted to the services of the minister responsible for labor.

Calculate and declare the Egapro occupational equality index

Index >85

Companies with a score of at least 85 points do not have to put in place additional measures related to the result obtained.

251 to 999 employees

Reference period

The employer must choose 12 consecutive months serving as reference period for calculating the index.

The calculations necessary for the compilation of the index shall be carried out and reported annually by the employer, on the basis of data from the annual reference period chosen by the employer preceding the year of publication of the indicators.

Example: The reference period can be 1er June 2022 to May 31, 2023 for the index to be published in 2024.

Employees to be taken into account for the calculation of indicators

The number of employees to be taken into account for the calculation of the indicators is the reference period annual selected by the employer.

The employer must exclude calculations on:

  • Apprentices
  • Holders of a professionalization contract
  • Employees made available to the company by an outdoor company
  • Expatriate employees
  • Employees absent more than half of the reference period considered

Characteristics of employees taken into account

The following individual characteristics of employees are required in the calculation of the indicators:

  • Age
  • Hierarchical level or coefficient (in application of branch classification)
  • Level according to the method of rating company items
  • Socio-occupational category

These individual characteristics are considered:

  • On the last day of the annual reference period chosen by the employer
  • Either on the last day of the employee's presence in the company

Elements of remuneration to be taken into account for the calculation of indicators

The remuneration of each employee shall be reconstituted in full-time equivalent over the relevant annual reference period.

The employer should not take into account the following remuneration:

  • Redundancy payments
  • Retirement allowances
  • Premiums linked to a particular subject which does not concern the employee's person
  • Seniority Bonuses
  • Overtime
  • Additional hours
  • Payments in respect of the profit-sharing and participation

Bareth

One note on 100 shall be awarded by adding the points obtained by the following four indicators:

  • Pay Gap between women and men, on 40 dots
  • Individual Increase Rate Variance between women and men, on 20 dots
  • Promotion Rate Variance between women and men, on 15 dots
  • Percentage of female employees who received an increase within one year of their return from maternity leave, on 15 dots
  • Number of employees of the under-represented sex among the 10 employees who received highest salaries, on 10 dots

Calculation of the occupational equality index

The Ministry responsible for labor has developed the tool Egapro, on which the index is to be calculated.

Calculate and declare the Egapro occupational equality index

Statement on Egapro

All companies with at least 50 employees must publish the results obtained when calculating the index on Egapro. Such publication shall take place every year, no later than 1er March.

All the information is thus transmitted to the services of the minister responsible for labor.

Calculate and declare the Egapro occupational equality index

FYI  

The company that does not declare its index of professional equality may be sanctioned.

The penalty may be up to 1% remuneration and earnings paid to employed persons or persons treated as such during the period in which the company has not complied with this obligation.

Integration of the index into the BDESE and the company's website

The index of occupational equality and the results of each of its indicators must be integrated into the Economic, Social and Environmental Database (EESDB) in order to be made available to Social and Economic Committee (ESC).

The results are presented by socio-professional category, level or hierarchical coefficient or according to the levels of the rating method of the positions of the company. This publication should be accompanied by all relevant details, in particular concerning the methodology applied.

Indicators that cannot be calculated must also be included. They must then be accompanied by full details explaining why the indicators could not be calculated.

The index and the results obtained for each indicator must also be published on the company's website, no later than 1er March of each year. This publication must be visible and legible.

The information shall be available at least until the publication of the results of the following year. If the company does not have a website, it must inform its employees of the outcome.

Do the results of the occupational equality index have any consequences?

The number of points obtained by the company has an impact on its obligations.

Répondez aux questions successives et les réponses s’afficheront automatiquement

Index <75

Corrective measures

Companies that score less than 75 points must implement corrective measures, which may include the programming of financial measures to catch up wages.

The content of these corrective measures shall be determined:

  • If this was provided for, during the negotiations on occupational equality between women and men. It shall take place at least once every 4 years between the employer and the representative trade unions.
  • Otherwise, by decision of the employer, after consultation with the ESC.

Corrective measures shall be published on the website of the company where one exists, on the same page as the index's output level and the output of each measure. They must remain available on the company's website until the mark is at least 75. The employer must also inform its employees.

These corrective measures must also be integrated into the BDESE.

Corrective measures must also be posted on Egapro. All the information is thus transmitted to the services of the minister responsible for labor.

Calculate and declare the Egapro occupational equality index

Sanctions

The company that gets a hit less than 75 points for 3 consecutive years may be penalized.

The penalty may be up to 1% remuneration and earnings paid to employed persons or persons treated as such during the calendar year preceding the expiry of the three-year period.

This amount is calculated on the basis of income from activities.

Index between 75 and 85

Companies that score between 75 and 85 points must attach progress targets for each of the indicators for which the maximum score has not been reached.

These targets are set by the employer

They must be published on the website of the company where one exists, on the same page as the output level and output of each indicator. They must remain available on the company's website until the company has achieved a score of at least 85 points. The employer must also inform its employees by any means.

These goals for progress must also be integrated into the BDESE.

Progress targets should also be published on Egapro. All the information is thus transmitted to the services of the minister responsible for labor.

Calculate and declare the Egapro occupational equality index

Index >85

Companies with a score of at least 85 points do not have to put in place additional measures related to the result obtained.

At least 1,000 employees

Reference period

The employer must choose 12 consecutive months serving as reference period for calculating the index.

The calculations necessary for the compilation of the index shall be carried out and reported annually by the employer, on the basis of data from the annual reference period chosen by the employer preceding the year of publication of the indicators.

Example: The reference period can be 1er June 2022 to May 31, 2023 for the index to be published in 2024.

Employees to be taken into account for the calculation of indicators

The number of employees to be taken into account for the calculation of the indicators is the reference period annual selected by the employer.

The employer must exclude calculations on:

  • Apprentices
  • Holders of a professionalization contract
  • Employees made available to the company by an outdoor company
  • Expatriate employees
  • Employees absent more than half of the reference period considered

Characteristics of employees taken into account

The following individual characteristics of employees are required in the calculation of the indicators:

  • Age
  • Hierarchical level or coefficient (in application of branch classification)
  • Level according to the method of rating company items
  • Socio-occupational category

These individual characteristics are considered:

  • On the last day of the annual reference period chosen by the employer
  • Either on the last day of the employee's presence in the company

Elements of remuneration to be taken into account for the calculation of indicators

The remuneration of each employee shall be reconstituted in full-time equivalent over the relevant annual reference period.

The employer should not take into account the following remuneration:

  • Redundancy payments
  • Retirement allowances
  • Premiums linked to a particular subject which does not concern the employee's person
  • Seniority Bonuses
  • Overtime
  • Additional hours
  • Payments in respect of the profit-sharing and participation

Bareth

One note on 100 shall be awarded by adding the points obtained by the following four indicators:

  • Pay Gap between women and men, on 40 dots
  • Individual Increase Rate Variance between women and men, on 20 dots
  • Promotion Rate Variance between women and men, on 15 dots
  • Percentage of female employees who received an increase within one year of their return from maternity leave, on 15 dots
  • Number of employees of the under-represented sex among the 10 employees who received highest salaries, on 10 dots

Calculation of the occupational equality index

The Ministry responsible for labor has developed the tool Egapro, on which the index is to be calculated.

Calculate and declare the Egapro occupational equality index

Statement on Egapro

All companies with at least 50 employees must publish the results obtained when calculating the index on Egapro. Such publication shall take place every year, no later than 1er March.

All the information is thus transmitted to the services of the minister responsible for labor.

Calculate and declare the Egapro occupational equality index

FYI  

The company that does not declare its index of professional equality may be sanctioned.

The penalty may be up to 1% remuneration and earnings paid to employed persons or persons treated as such during the period in which the company has not complied with this obligation.

Integration of the index into the BDESE and the company's website

The index of occupational equality and the results of each of its indicators must be integrated into the Economic, Social and Environmental Database (EESDB) in order to be made available to Social and Economic Committee (ESC).

The results are presented by socio-professional category, level or hierarchical coefficient or according to the levels of the rating method of the positions of the company. This publication should be accompanied by all relevant details, in particular concerning the methodology applied.

Indicators that cannot be calculated must also be included. They must then be accompanied by full details explaining why the indicators could not be calculated.

The index and the results obtained for each indicator must also be published on the company's website, no later than 1er March of each year. This publication must be visible and legible.

The information shall be available at least until the publication of the results of the following year. If the company does not have a website, it must inform its employees of the outcome.

Do the results of the occupational equality index have any consequences?

The number of points obtained by the company has an impact on its obligations.

Répondez aux questions successives et les réponses s’afficheront automatiquement

Index <75

Corrective measures

Companies that score less than 75 points must implement corrective measures, which may include the programming of financial measures to catch up wages.

The content of these corrective measures shall be determined:

  • If this was provided for, during the negotiations on occupational equality between women and men. It shall take place at least once every 4 years between the employer and the representative trade unions.
  • Otherwise, by decision of the employer, after consultation with the ESC.

Corrective measures shall be published on the website of the company where one exists, on the same page as the index's output level and the output of each measure. They must remain available on the company's website until the mark is at least 75. The employer must also inform its employees.

These corrective measures must also be integrated into the BDESE.

Corrective measures must also be posted on Egapro. All the information is thus transmitted to the services of the minister responsible for labor.

Calculate and declare the Egapro occupational equality index

Sanctions

The company that gets a hit less than 75 points for 3 consecutive years may be penalized.

The penalty may be up to 1% remuneration and earnings paid to employed persons or persons treated as such during the calendar year preceding the expiry of the three-year period.

This amount is calculated on the basis of income from activities.

Index between 75 and 85

Companies that score between 75 and 85 points must attach progress targets for each of the indicators for which the maximum score has not been reached.

These targets are set by the employer

They must be published on the website of the company where one exists, on the same page as the output level and output of each indicator. They must remain available on the company's website until the company has achieved a score of at least 85 points. The employer must also inform its employees by any means.

These goals for progress must also be integrated into the BDESE.

Progress targets should also be published on Egapro. All the information is thus transmitted to the services of the minister responsible for labor.

Calculate and declare the Egapro occupational equality index

Index >85

Companies with a score of at least 85 points do not have to put in place additional measures related to the result obtained.

In companies that employ at least 1 000 employees for the 3e consecutive year, the employer shall publish each year any gaps in representation between women and men. These are:

  • Percentage of women among all senior managers
  • Percentage of men among all senior managers
  • The percentage of women among all members of the governing bodies, including self-employed persons
  • The percentage of men among all members of the governing bodies, including self-employed persons

The proportion of these women and men must be reported each year over a period of 12 consecutive months corresponding to the accounting year. The proportion takes into account time spent by each man and woman during this reference period as senior managers or members of senior management.

Any gaps in representation between women and men shall be reported on Egapro, at the time of the declaration of the index of professional equality:

Calculate and declare the Egapro occupational equality index

This data must be published on the website of the company where one exists, by 31 March each year. They must remain available on the company's website at least until any differences in representation are published the following year. In the absence of a website, the employer must transmit this information to its employees.

This data must also be integrated into the Economic, Social and Environmental Database (EESDB).

Please note

Where all or some of the representation gaps cannot be calculated, the reason for this must be stated when reporting on Egapro and the ESC.