Equal pay law by country
Austria and Germany place burden on employer to justify pay differences; most countries prohibit discrimination but differ on proof. The US requires plaintiff to prove discrimination; Australia and Spain require equal treatment without direct statutory hierarchy.
Scope of this guide
United States: federal law only. State law is not compared.
| Country | The statutory rule | Burden of proof |
|---|---|---|
| Norway | Direct and indirect discrimination on age, political opinion, union membership, or other grounds (including gender via sex discrimination law) is prohibited in employment | Worker alleges discrimination; employer must show justification for difference in treatment |
Under review
The statute text for these countries has changed since we last checked it, so their figures are hidden until we review them again: United States, Australia, Germany, Spain, Austria, Sweden.
Country by country
Norway
- Rule
- Arbeidsmiljøloven (Working Environment Act), § 13-1
- Covers protected grounds under section 13-1 and broader gender equality duties.
- Harassment and discrimination prohibition; employer accountability.
Direkte og indirekte diskriminering på grunn av politisk syn, medlemskap i arbeidstakerorganisasjon eller alder er forbudt. Countries not in this table yet
UK (Equal Pay Act 1970), CA (Canadian Human Rights Act), FR (Code du travail), NL (Gelijke beloning), JP (男女雇用機会均等法): comparable equal pay laws exist but are not in the ingested statute excerpts.
How this table was built
Every row is taken from the official, consolidated text of the statute, which LawAsked loads from each government’s legislation service.
Each figure is tied to a passage quoted word for word from that text. When the page is served, it checks that every quoted passage is still in the current text of a law that is in force; if a law is amended and its wording changes, that row is hidden until a person reviews it again.
The table shows the statutory minimum only. Collective agreements, awards and individual contracts often give more than the statute, and some countries let a collective agreement set different terms.
Use this data
The table and the CSV are free to reuse under CC BY 4.0: credit LawAsked and link to this page. Quoted statute text stays under the terms of its official source.
How to cite this page
LawAsked, “Equal pay law by country”, https://lawasked.com/guides/equal-pay-law (reviewed October 25, 2026).
Important Legal Disclaimer
General legal information, not formal legal advice. The information provided on LawAsked does not constitute formal legal advice and creates no attorney-client relationship. If you require legal assistance, please consult a licensed attorney in your jurisdiction.