Employee protections in Lithuania are grounded in a robust legal framework that prioritises fairness, safety, and non-discrimination in the workplace. The country’s employee protection legislation, which is rooted in the Labour Code and reinforced by EU directives, sets clear obligations for employers when it comes to working conditions, equal treatment, and workers’ rights.
Among the most prominent regulations are laws ensuring equal pay for equal work, strong anti-discrimination rules, and the protection of whistleblowers. Lithuania’s approach mandates not just non-discrimination in hiring and promotion, but also active policies to promote workplace equality and prevent harassment. Employers with larger teams are expected to implement remuneration systems and gender equality policies, particularly if they employ 20 or more people. These measures are part of the broader effort to ensure transparency and equity in pay and opportunity.
Further employee protections in Lithuania include the right to data privacy under the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), which is enforced locally by the State Data Protection Inspectorate. Employers must ensure employee data is processed fairly, transparently, and only for legitimate purposes. In addition, temporary agency workers are entitled to the same pay and conditions as permanent staff, reinforcing Lithuania’s commitment to fair treatment across all employment types.
Employers should also be aware of the safeguards in place for whistleblowers and victims of workplace discrimination. The Equal Opportunities Ombudsperson serves as a key enforcement body, investigating complaints and promoting awareness of rights. Retaliation against whistleblowers or discrimination victims is strictly prohibited and may result in penalties.
With these regulations in place, Lithuania offers a stable and transparent employment environment. Companies hiring cally or through an Employer of Record (EoR) should stay up to date on employee protection legislation in Lithuania to ensure compliance and foster a positive working environment.
Employers operating in Lithuania should be aware that whistleblowing in Lithuania is governed by a clear legal framework designed to encourage transparency and protect individuals who report wrongdoing. The country introduced the Law on the Protection of Whistleblowers in 2019 to safeguard public interest and align national rules with EU directives on whistleblower protection.
The Lithuania whistleblowing law applies to both the public and private sectors and sets out strict procedures for reporting and responding to alleged violations. The legislation is applicable to individuals who report misconduct that they learned of through a work-based relationship—this includes employees, contractors, trainees, and former workers.
Organisations with 50 or more employees are required to establish internal reporting channels that enable confidential and secure whistleblowing. Reports may also be made externally to competent authorities or, in some cases, the public. The Prosecutor’s Office of the Republic of Lithuania is responsible for recognising whistleblowers and ensuring their protection.
Key protections include:
These safeguards aim to ensure whistleblowers are not penalised for acting in good faith to report actions that threaten public interest.
Employers in Lithuania are encouraged to go beyond basic compliance and foster a workplace culture that supports openness and accountability. Implementing a robust internal whistleblowing mechanism can help identify and resolve problems early, preventing reputational or legal risks.
Some best practices include:
Encouraging the responsible use of whistleblowing mechanisms can strengthen internal governance and signal an employer’s commitment to ethical practices. For businesses working in Lithuania, proactively supporting whistleblower rights is not only a legal obligation but also a marker of corporate integrity.
Employers operating in Lithuania must comply with the European Union’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), which forms the basis of Lithuanian data protection standards. The GDPR is supported by the national Law on Legal Protection of Personal Data, which aligns Lithuania with EU-wide obligations and grants individuals enhanced control over their personal information. For employers, this means careful handling of employee data in a lawful, transparent, and secure manner.
The key rules around the country’s data protection law come from the GDPR and Lithuania’s Law on Legal Protection of Personal Data. Employers must identify a legal basis for processing employee data, such as fulfilling employment contracts or complying with national labour laws. Consent can also be used, but it must be freely given, specific, informed, and revocable.
Data processing must follow the principles of:
Employees have several rights under the Law on Personal Data Protection in Lithuania, including access, rectification, erasure, restriction of processing, and data portability. Employers must provide clear privacy notices explaining how and why data is processed.
Employers are encouraged to:
Certain activities like background checks or monitoring must be proportionate and justified. For example, video surveillance in the workplace must be disclosed and necessary for a legitimate purpose.
Sensitive data such as criminal records must only be processed with proper authorisation. Reviewing social media accounts may be allowed, but only where information is public and job relevant. Employers must avoid processing any data linked to protected characteristics like ethnicity or political beliefs.
In the event of a data breach, employers must notify the State Data Protection Inspectorate (VDAI) and potentially affected individuals without undue delay. The VDAI also serves as the supervisory authority and may impose penalties for non-compliance. Individuals can file complaints directly to the VDAI, which enforces Lithuanian data protection rules.
By aligning practices with both EU and national data privacy rules, employers not only remain compliant but also foster a culture of trust and accountability in the workplace.
Employers hiring short-term or seasonal staff through agencies in Lithuania should be aware of the country’s strong protections for temporary workers. The Lithuanian Labour Code outlines specific rights to ensure equal treatment for temporary agency workers in Lithuania, particularly regarding pay and working conditions.
Temporary agency workers are employees who are formally hired by a staffing or employment agency but work under the direction and supervision of a user enterprise. According to the Labour Code of Lithuania, these workers must be treated no less favourably than permanent employees doing similar work at the host company.
Temporary workers are entitled to the same base salary, overtime pay, and additional premiums for night work, rest days, or work during public holidays, as permanent staff. This was reinforced in a national court ruling that clarified that temporary workers should be paid based on the actual tasks performed and qualifications required, mirroring what they would earn if they had been hired directly by the user enterprise.
Amendments made in July 2020 implemented provisions from the EU Posting of Workers Directive, reinforcing this principle further. The user enterprise (or “”user undertaking””) shares subsidiary liability with the agency to ensure compliance. In practice, this means that if the agency fails to fulfil its obligations, the user enterprise may be held responsible.
When engaging with a work permit agency in Lithuania, especially for non-EU nationals, employers should ensure that the agency is properly licensed and compliant with Lithuanian labour and migration laws. Agencies must manage employment contracts, pay, and permits transparently.
Employers should:
By partnering with reputable agencies and staying aligned with local labour regulations, employers not only meet compliance standards but also foster a fair and ethical workplace.
For organisations planning to expand in Lithuania or hire through staffing agencies, observing the equal treatment for temporary agency workers in Lithuania is both a legal requirement and a best practice for long-term talent management.
Employers in Lithuania are expected to maintain workplaces that are free from bias, exclusion, and inappropriate behaviour. The country has robust legal protections in place to uphold equality and dignity at work, both through its constitution and specific anti-discrimination statutes.
Lithuania’s anti-discrimination laws are primarily governed by the Law on Equal Treatment and the Constitution of the Republic of Lithuania, both of which prohibit discrimination on the basis of race, nationality, language, origin, social status, gender, age, sexual orientation, disability, religion, beliefs, or political views.
The Law on Equal Treatment requires employers to ensure fair treatment in all areas of employment, including hiring, promotion, remuneration, training, and dismissal. Employers must apply consistent, non-discriminatory criteria and are expected to implement written anti-discrimination policies in Lithuania that set clear expectations for behaviour in the workplace.
Direct and indirect discrimination are both explicitly prohibited. Indirect discrimination occurs when seemingly neutral practices disproportionately disadvantage certain groups unless justified by legitimate objectives. The law also bars job advertisements from expressing preferences that could be seen as discriminatory.
An independent body, the Office of the Equal Opportunities Ombudsperson, is tasked with investigating discrimination complaints, conducting inspections, and issuing recommendations to promote compliance. Individuals who experience discrimination can seek remedies, including financial compensation for emotional and material harm.
Anti-discrimination laws and protection against harassment in Lithuania extend to workplace behaviour that undermines an employee’s dignity. Harassment, including sexual harassment, is defined as any unwanted conduct that creates an intimidating, hostile, or offensive environment.
Employers are obligated to prevent harassment by establishing internal policies, training employees, and responding effectively to complaints. This includes providing multiple reporting channels and taking immediate action to investigate and resolve incidents.
Workers have the right to report harassment without fear of retaliation. Employers must maintain confidentiality and ensure that no adverse consequences befall those who report misconduct in good faith.
To further strengthen prevention efforts, Lithuania promotes education and awareness-raising about respectful workplace conduct. By fostering a culture of inclusion and respect, employers not only comply with legal obligations but also contribute to employee satisfaction and productivity.
In Lithuania, fair remuneration practices are backed by national and EU-level legislation, requiring employers to uphold equal treatment and transparency in the workplace. With specific obligations triggered by company size, businesses are expected to formalise their commitment to pay equity through internal policies and reporting mechanisms.
The foundation of pay equity laws in Lithuania is laid out in the Labour Code and the Law on Equal Treatment. Article 26 of the Labour Code requires employers to apply equal conditions for recruitment, working terms, and pay. This includes the principle of equal pay for equal work or work of equal value, regardless of gender or other protected characteristics.
The Law on Equal Treatment strengthens these protections by prohibiting direct and indirect discrimination in pay practices. Lithuania is also aligning its legislation with the EU Pay Transparency Directive, which obliges member states to introduce more robust pay transparency measures by June 2026.
If a company has 20 or more employees, it must establish a formal remuneration system. For those with over 50 employees, internal policies on equal rights and monitoring mechanisms are required. These measures aim to promote fairness and prevent wage discrimination at a structural level.
Under the current and forthcoming legal framework, employers may be required to:
The Lithuanian State Social Insurance Fund Board (SoDra) maintains a public register of pay gap data, supporting transparency and compliance monitoring.
To comply with pay equity laws in Lithuania, employers are encouraged to regularly audit pay structures and assess roles based on objective factors like responsibility, skills, effort, and working conditions.
Publishing transparent salary systems—whether in collective agreements or internal policies—helps align pay practices with legal standards. Where wage disparities arise, employers should document legitimate, objective justifications.
It is also beneficial to provide training to HR and management teams on equal pay obligations and to involve employee representatives in developing fair pay strategies. The State Labour Inspectorate conducts inspections to ensure compliance, and companies that fall short may face financial penalties.
By integrating legal requirements with proactive internal measures, Lithuanian employers can foster a culture of fairness and compliance while reducing exposure to discrimination claims.
Employee protections in Lithuania are anchored in comprehensive legislation that upholds fair treatment, workplace equality, and privacy. From equal pay requirements and anti-discrimination rules to safeguards for whistleblowers and temporary workers, the employee protection legislation in Lithuania ensures that all workers—regardless of contract type—receive equal treatment and legal recourse.
Employers must also comply with GDPR-based data privacy rules and implement internal policies if they employ 20 or more staff.
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