Wages in the private sector In 2014, the average net wage increased by 0.5% in constant euros

In 2014, the monthly full-time equivalent (FTE) wage of a person working in the private sector or in a public company was, on average, €2,957 gross and €2,225 net of tax at source. In current euros, the average net wage increased by 1.0%, after +0.6% in 2013. In constant euros, it increased by 0.5% after a two-year decline (–0.3% in 2013 and –0.4% in 2012), mainly due to the slowdown in inflation (+0.5% in 2014). The average net wage increased for every socio-occupational category, and especially for employees, as a result of the increase in the minimum wage. The change in the structure of the workforce, especially the upward trend in qualifications, accounts for almost half of the average wage increase in 2014. Half of employees earn less than €1,783 net per month. Net wages rose at all levels of the wage scale with considerably higher increases at the top of the scale. As a result, wage inequalities increased in the upper half and remained stable in the lower half. The gender pay gap continued to narrow: when comparing identical characteristics, women earned 9.6% less than their male counterparts. The average net wage of those who remained with the same employer from one year to the next (a little over one in two private sector employees) increased by 2.1% in constant euros. This reflects the career advances in this group, where open-ended contracts, men and full-time employees are over-represented.