The most common mistake with salary ranges in a job posting is that the range is mentioned, but chosen so broadly or arbitrarily that it effectively says nothing. A range of, for example, thirty thousand to sixty thousand euros meets the formal requirement of having a range, but gives a candidate no useful picture of what the role actually offers.
This mistake usually does not arise from unwillingness. Employers want to quickly comply with the new expectation that a range appears in the text, and attach a margin that is "in the ballpark", without that margin being derived from a job classification or an existing salary structure. The result is a text that is complete on paper, but in practice serves none of the purposes for which the range is intended.
Where things go wrong
Three causes come up most frequently. The first is that the range is copied from a similar job posting elsewhere, without checking whether that margin aligns with the employer's own job classification. The second is that one broad band is used for candidates with very different experience, so that the bottom and top of the range in practice never apply to the same role requirements. The third is that the range is devised independently of the compensation policy, so that the text promises something that the salary structure does not actually deliver.
In addition, it happens that a range is established, but its justification is not recorded anywhere. If a candidate or a regulator asks what the margin is based on, there is no document to show that. That is not a substantive error in the text itself, but rather an error in the supporting documentation.
Why this is relevant
The salary range in a job posting does not stand alone. It is linked to the job classification, to the question of what criteria apply to that classification, and to the compensation policy that determines the margin within which negotiation is possible. When these components do not align, there is a risk that the text complies with the letter but not the intent. Whether a concrete difference between the stated range and the actual compensation in an individual case is problematic is for the competent regulator or a lawyer to decide; this article does not make that assessment.
The knowledge base explains for each component how the salary range, job classification and compensation policy relate to each other, including the source in the official text. To check whether a draft job posting text meets the visible requirements on its own, you can have it reviewed via check your job posting text.
How to avoid this mistake
The key to the solution is that the salary range does not stand alone from the rest of your compensation structure, but flows directly from it. This starts with a job classification based on objective, gender-neutral criteria: only once a role is classified in a category can a realistic and substantiated margin be attached to it. A range derived from that classification is by definition narrower and more specific than a margin chosen to 'feel' market-compliant.
It also helps to document what the chosen margin is based on, so that this justification is available when a candidate or employee asks about it. This is not only useful in relation to candidates, it also aligns with the broader idea behind the rules: that compensation must be traceable to criteria, not to an estimate made afterwards. More on how this justification is built up and where the information on the site comes from is explained in the methodology behind the classification.
What has not yet been determined
How narrow or wide a salary range may precisely be to count as "realistic" is not specified with a figure in the regulations. This is one of the points for which no fixed interpretation yet exists and on which supervisory authorities will develop their own approach in practice. Anyone seeking certainty about this for their own situation is well advised to submit it to a lawyer or the competent supervisory authority, rather than relying on a general rule of thumb.
Frequently asked questions about these kinds of borderline cases, and about what is and is not already established, are compiled in the overview of frequently asked questions.
Would you like to see in a few minutes whether your own vacancy text and the underlying salary range logically align? The free vacancy check and the knowledge base provide an initial, non-binding picture of this, without requiring an account.