{"id":2981,"date":"2026-10-07T22:18:17","date_gmt":"2026-10-07T19:18:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/linden.lt\/tinklarastis\/salary-in-job-ads-and-interviews-lithuania\/"},"modified":"2026-10-07T22:19:21","modified_gmt":"2026-10-07T19:19:21","slug":"salary-in-job-ads-and-interviews-lithuania","status":"publish","type":"irasas","link":"https:\/\/linden.lt\/en\/blog\/salary-in-job-ads-and-interviews-lithuania\/","title":{"rendered":"Hiring and job ads in Lithuania: pay ranges, interviews, confidentiality"},"template":"","kategorija":[],"class_list":["post-2981","irasas","type-irasas","status-publish","hentry"],"acf":{"visi_puslapiai_cta_statusas":false,"visi_puslapiai_cta_antraste":"","visi_puslapiai_cta_formos_id":"","visi_puslapiai_cta_papildomas_tekstas":"","visi_puslapiai_cta_nuotrauka":null,"tinklarastis_1_autorius":null,"tinklarastis_1_iraso_tipas":false,"dinamiski_blokai":[{"acf_fc_layout":"tekstas","tekstas":"<p>Since 7 June 2026 the rules have changed for what an employer may do before a contract is signed. The duty to state the base pay amount or range in a job ad is not new, but in our view it must now match the <a href=\"https:\/\/atlygis.linden.lt\/en\/\">pay system<\/a>. In an interview you may no longer require a candidate to disclose their current or previous pay. And confidentiality clauses can no longer stop an employee from disclosing their own pay when enforcing the right to equal pay. Below is wording you can copy into your ads, interview script and contracts. We set out all the duties in order in <a href=\"https:\/\/linden.lt\/en\/blog\/pay-transparency-directive-lithuania-employer-steps-and-deadlines\/\">\"Pay transparency in Lithuania: what employers must do, and by when\"<\/a>.<\/p>\r\n<h2>1. Pay in the job ad<\/h2>\r\n<p><strong>The law:<\/strong> a job ad must state the offered base (tariff) pay amount and\/or range, except where laws provide otherwise (DK Article 25(6)). Base pay is a monthly salary, pay per hour or the fixed part of an official salary.<\/p>\r\n<p>The duty itself is not new. <strong>In our view,<\/strong> what is new is that the range in the ad should match the pay system. VDI says pay should fit the range set for the group, and paying more must be justified by the system (VDI FAQ, question 3.3). Exceptions for a severe shortage of specialists must be described in the system itself (VDI FAQ, question 3.11).<\/p>\r\n<p><strong>Ad lines you can copy:<\/strong><\/p>\r\n<p>&gt; <strong>Pay:<\/strong> [amount]\u2013[amount] gross per month (base pay). The exact amount is set under the criteria of our pay system: experience in similar roles and competences.<\/p>\r\n<p>&gt; <strong>Pay:<\/strong> [amount] gross per hour. A night work supplement is paid under the pay system.<\/p>\r\n<p>&gt; <strong>Pay:<\/strong> [amount]\u2013[amount] gross per month, plus a quarterly bonus of up to [share] % of base pay based on the indicators set in the pay system.<\/p>\r\n<p>Avoid \"pay by agreement\" or \"competitive salary\": they do not meet the duty to state an amount or range. <strong>In our view,<\/strong> \"from [amount]\" with no upper limit is risky, because it is neither an amount nor a range. <strong>Our recommendation:<\/strong> if your system has a range, put the whole range in the ad. Negotiation then starts from the system, not from the candidate's expectations.<\/p>\r\n<p><strong>Recruitment agencies.<\/strong> When an agency or job portal publishes the ad on your behalf, the duty still rests with you as the employer: DK Article 25(6) also covers a notice published by the person who prepares or distributes the information. Put this into the contract or order with the agency:<\/p>\r\n<p>&gt; In every ad the Agency states the base pay range provided by the Client in writing. The Agency does not ask candidates about their current or previous pay and does not pass such information to the Client.<\/p>\r\n<h2>2. The interview<\/h2>\r\n<p><strong>The law:<\/strong> in pre-contract relations it is prohibited to require the employee to disclose pay received in current or previous jobs (DK Article 41(1)). VDI confirms this covers candidates (VDI FAQ, question 6.4). When hiring, the employer must apply the same selection criteria and conditions (DK Article 26(2), point 1). If the duties in DK Article 41(1) are breached, the candidate may go to a labour dispute body and claim damages (DK Article 41(2)).<\/p>\r\n<p><strong>What not to ask:<\/strong><\/p>\r\n<ul><li>\"How much do you earn now?\"<\/li><li>\"What was your pay in your previous job?\"<\/li><li>\"Could you send a payslip or a Sodra statement?\"<\/li><li>A \"current salary\" field in the application form.<\/li><\/ul>\r\n<p><strong>What you may ask (in our view):<\/strong><\/p>\r\n<ul><li>\"We offer [amount]\u2013[amount] gross for this position. Does this range suit you?\"<\/li><li>\"Apart from pay, which working conditions matter most to you?\"<\/li><li>\"What experience do you have that would be relevant to your place in the range?\"<\/li><\/ul>\r\n<p>\"What salary do you expect?\" is not prohibited by the wording of the law, because it does not ask about pay received. But pay set by a candidate's expectations can create an unjustified gap with current staff. In our view, negotiating skill is not an objective criterion, because it is not a job requirement. It is safer to state the range first and set the amount under the system's criteria.<\/p>\r\n<p><strong>Interview script (pay part):<\/strong><\/p>\r\n<p>&gt; 1. Present the position and its group in the pay system. &gt; 2. State the range: \"We offer [amount]\u2013[amount] gross for this position.\" &gt; 3. Explain what decides the place in the range: \"We set the exact amount by experience in similar roles and competences, as our system provides.\" &gt; 4. Ask about experience and competences, not previous pay. &gt; 5. If asked, explain the allowance and bonus rules. &gt; 6. After the interview, record the criteria behind the amount you offer.<\/p>\r\n<p><strong>If the candidate volunteers their pay.<\/strong> The law prohibits requiring the information, not hearing it. Still, do not record it or use it to set pay. You can answer:<\/p>\r\n<p>&gt; Thank you, but we do not set pay by previous jobs; we set it by the criteria of our pay system. For this position that is [amount]\u2013[amount] gross.<\/p>\r\n<p>If a collective agreement applies, the candidate must also be given its applicable terms before the contract is signed (DK Article 41(1)).<\/p>\r\n<h2>3. The offer and the starting pay<\/h2>\r\n<p>A new employee's pay should fall within the group's range, unless the system provides for an exception (VDI FAQ, question 3.11). Probation alone is not an objective reason to pay less (VDI FAQ, question 3.10). <strong>Our recommendation:<\/strong> for each new hire, write one sentence in their file: \"Pay set at [place in range] because of [experience, competences].\" If you offer more than current staff in the same group get, record why and keep evidence, such as dated ranges from similar ads. More: <a href=\"https:\/\/linden.lt\/en\/blog\/paying-new-hire-more-than-existing-employee-lithuania\/\">\"Can you pay a new hire more than a long-serving employee?\"<\/a>.<\/p>\r\n<h2>4. Confidentiality clauses<\/h2>\r\n<p><strong>The law:<\/strong> data on one's own pay cannot be treated as confidential if the employee discloses it to enforce the right to equal pay for the same work or work of equal value (DK Article 39(1)). The ban also does not apply when information on breaches of labour or other law by the employer is given to a state or municipal authority or institution, or to a court or other dispute resolution body (DK Article 39(1)).<\/p>\r\n<p>A clause saying \"the employee's pay is confidential information\" without exceptions is now too broad. VDI recommends correcting such clauses or dropping them (VDI FAQ, question 6.2).<\/p>\r\n<p><strong>Wording for an employment contract or confidentiality agreement:<\/strong><\/p>\r\n<p>&gt; This agreement does not prohibit the Employee from disclosing data on their own pay when doing so to enforce their right to equal pay for the same work or work of equal value, nor from providing information to a state or municipal authority or institution about breaches of labour or other law by the employer, or to a court or other dispute resolution body.<\/p>\r\n<p><strong>Our recommendation:<\/strong> in the offer letter, do not ask the candidate to keep the offered pay secret without exceptions.<\/p>\r\n<h2>Checklist<\/h2>\r\n<ul><li>Every ad states the base pay amount or range.<\/li><li>The range matches the group in the system.<\/li><li>Questions about current or previous pay are removed from forms and interview scripts.<\/li><li>The agency has written instructions.<\/li><li>Confidentiality clauses are fixed in line with DK Article 39(1).<\/li><li>The reason for each new hire's pay is recorded in their file.<\/li><\/ul>\r\n<h2>What to do if...<\/h2>\r\n<p><strong>...a strong candidate wants more than the group maximum.<\/strong> Either offer within the range, or first review the system. VDI says the system should then be adjusted, or objective grounds for paying more should be set in advance (VDI FAQ, question 3.3).<\/p>\r\n<p><strong>...an ad has already gone out without a range.<\/strong> Fix it now and keep the corrected version with its date.<\/p>\r\n<p><strong>...a current employee learns the new hire will earn more.<\/strong> There must be a recorded objective reason. If you raise the group's range for the new hire, VDI says the pay of staff doing equal work may have to be reviewed and raised within a reasonable period, for example six months (VDI FAQ, question 3.3).<\/p>\r\n<h2>Related articles<\/h2>\r\n<ul><li><a href=\"https:\/\/linden.lt\/en\/blog\/paying-new-hire-more-than-existing-employee-lithuania\/\">Can you pay a new hire more than a long-serving employee?<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"https:\/\/linden.lt\/en\/blog\/job-evaluation-and-grouping-for-pay-system-lithuania\/\">Job evaluation and grouping for a pay system: a practical guide<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"https:\/\/linden.lt\/en\/blog\/bonuses-variable-pay-pay-system-lithuania\/\">Bonuses and variable pay in a Lithuanian pay system: how to write them<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"https:\/\/linden.lt\/en\/blog\/pay-system-for-small-employers-lithuania\/\">Small employers: a minimum pay system by 31 December 2026<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"https:\/\/linden.lt\/en\/blog\/pay-transparency-directive-lithuania-employer-steps-and-deadlines\/\">Pay transparency in Lithuania: what employers must do, and by when<\/a><\/li><\/ul>\r\n<h2>How to start<\/h2>\r\n<p>Send us your job ad, employment contract and confidentiality agreement templates. We will update them under the new rules and prepare instructions for your recruitment agency.<\/p>\r\n<p>Linden's full solution, from the pay system to informing employees, is at <a href=\"https:\/\/atlygis.linden.lt\/en\/\">atlygis.linden.lt<\/a>. Check which requirements apply to you: <a href=\"https:\/\/atlygis.linden.lt\/en\/self-check\/\">atlygis.linden.lt\/en\/self-check<\/a>.<\/p>\r\n<p>Phone +370 5 212 1506, email info@linden.lt<\/p>\r\n<p>More about this service: <a href=\"https:\/\/linden.lt\/en\/services\/labour-law\/drafting-labour-law-documents\/\">drafting labour law documents<\/a>.<\/p>"}]},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/linden.lt\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/irasas\/2981","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/linden.lt\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/irasas"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/linden.lt\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/irasas"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/linden.lt\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/irasas\/2981\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2983,"href":"https:\/\/linden.lt\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/irasas\/2981\/revisions\/2983"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/linden.lt\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2981"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"kategorija","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/linden.lt\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/kategorija?post=2981"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}