Created on 15.10.2025
I. What is discrimination?
Discrimination occurs when someone treats you unfairly or differently because of your distinctive characteristics such as race, gender, age, religion, origin and nationality, marital status, sexual orientation, or disability. This can occur in many areas of life, such as at school, in public places, or at work. Discrimination in the workplace is also strictly prohibited by law.
In this article, you will learn more about your rights in the workplace and how to protect yourself from discrimination.
II. Discrimination in the recruitment process
When an employer in Bulgaria advertises a job vacancy, they are not allowed to set requirements related to:
- Your gender;
- Your origin, race, ethnicity, or nationality (which country or ethnic group you are from)
- Your religion or beliefs;
- Your citizenship or lack thereof;
- Your education, unless it is directly related to the job;
- Your political beliefs;
- Your age;
- Your health and whether you have any disability;
- Your sexual orientation;
- Your marital status (married, divorced, etc.);
- Your financial status (rich/poor);
- And other personal characteristics protected by law.
Important! The employer should only be interested in your skills and experience for the specific job.
In some very rare and special cases, the law allows for different requirements to be imposed. For example, the following requirements are not considered discrimination:
- A requirement that is objectively necessary for the job - for example: If an actor is sought for a male role, there may be a requirement that the candidate be male, etc.
- Or, if a certain position requires a minimum amount of experience or training that is important for safety or quality of work, this may also be a condition for employment.
Important: The requirements set by the employer must be truly essential for the performance of that particular job.
When you attend a job interview, the employer is NOT allowed to ask you for personal information before you sign an employment contract, unless it is directly related to the job.
For example, they are NOT allowed to ask you:
- "Do you have children or are you planning to have children?"
- "What is your religion?"
- "What is your sexual orientation?" etc.
Important! It is against the law for an employer to refuse to hire you because you are pregnant or have young children.
The Employment Agency and its Labor Offices are required to provide you with equal opportunities and access to all services for the unemployed, regardless of the characteristics described above, such as race, religion, gender, age, sexual orientation, marital status, origin, etc.
If you believe that you have been discriminated against on any of the grounds listed above, you have the right to seek help and protection under the Protection Against Discrimination Act. For more information on protection under this law, see here. We advise you to seek the help of a lawyer to protect your rights.
Finding a good lawyer in Bulgaria
III. Protection from discrimination in the workplace
If you have started work under an employment contract, the law prohibits discrimination on the grounds mentioned above in your workplace while you are performing your job duties.
Below we will look at some of the more common forms of discrimination in the workplace.
1. Discrimination in the work conditions
Your employer must provide equal working conditions for all workers, regardless of gender, origin, religion, or other personal characteristics mentioned above.
Official holidays in Bulgaria are based on Christian holidays, such as Christmas, Easter, etc., or national holidays, such as Liberation Day, Bulgarian Education and Culture Day, etc. Important!If you profess a different religion, you can ask your employer to provide you with working conditions related to working hours and holidays that are in line with the requirements of your religion or faith. The employer is not obliged to do so, but may grant your request if it does not interfere with the manner and quality of the work process.
1.2. Working mothers
If you are a mother returning to work after maternity leave, you have the right to return to the same or an equivalent position. If there have been improvements in working conditions while you were away from work, you can take advantage of them. Also, if there have been innovations in the way you work, you are entitled to free training from your employer.
2. Discrimination in remuneration
Key rule: The employer must ensure equal pay for equal or equivalent work. What does this mean?
- Equal work: The work is the same and requires the same qualifications and skills.
- Work of equal value: The work is different in nature (e.g., different positions), but has equal value and benefit to the company.
Important! It is prohibited to pay someone less simply because of their gender, origin, religion, or other protected characteristic, even through additional payments (bonuses, benefits in kind).
Example: If a pregnant employee receives lower pay, this is NOT discrimination if the reason is that her workload has been reduced (e.g., she works fewer hours or performs fewer tasks) compared to colleagues who work full-time. However, if she performs her work in full and with the required quality, but her pay is lower solely because she is pregnant, this would constitute discrimination.
Important! For there to be discrimination in pay, it must be proven that you are receiving a lower salary solely because of one of the protected characteristics (e.g., origin, gender, ethnicity, religion, etc.), and not because of a smaller volume or lower quality of work.
3. Discrimination in career development
The employer must provide equal opportunities to all workers for:
- Vocational training and upgrading of qualifications.
- Professional growth and promotion in position/rank.
4. Discrimination against people with disabilities
The law provides special protection for workers with disabilities. It is considered discrimination if you have a disability but your employer treats you as a worker without specific needs.
Your employer has to make your workplace fit your needs (like providing a wheelchair ramp, a special desk, or equipment). Important! This obligation applies unless implementing such accommodations would impose excessive costs or cause significant disruption to the operation of the business. More about the rights of employees with disabilities read here.
5. Harassment in the workplace
Harassment is any unwanted behavior towards you that is related to your gender, age, ethnicity, religion, origin, disability, sexual orientation, or other characteristic protected by law. This behavior can be:
- Physical (e.g., unwanted touching, pushing, etc.);
- Verbal (e.g., insults, ridicule, humiliating comments);
- Or other (e.g., gestures, messages, actions that make you feel humiliated or threatened).
It is important to know that even a single act can be considered harassment if it violates your dignity and creates a hostile, offensive, or threatening environment.
If you believe that you are being harassed at work, you have the right to file a complaint with your employer. The employer is then obliged to:
1. Respond immediately – investigate your complaint;
2. Take measures to stop the harassment;
3. Discipline the person who committed the harassment (if it is another employee).
You have the right to feel respected and protected at work. If you believe that you are being harassed and are not receiving protection from your employer, you can seek help from the Commission for Protection against Discrimination or the Labor Inspectorate. We advise you to seek the help of a lawyer to protect your rights.
Finding a good lawyer in Bulgaria
6. Discrimination in the imposition of disciplinary responsibility by the employer
In labor relations, the employer and the employee are equal under the law.
However, the employer has the right to impose disciplinary sanctions (e.g., warning, reprimand, dismissal) if you, as an employee, violate labor discipline.
It is important to know that these sanctions must be applied equally to everyone.
The employer does not have the right to punish employees differently based on their:
- gender,
- race or ethnicity,
- religion,
- age,
- disability,
- origin,
- sexual orientation,
- or other protected characteristics.
If your employer applies different rules or penalties to you because of any of these characteristics, this may constitute discrimination.
IV. Employer's obligations to prevent discrimination
Employers are obliged to ensure equality and protection from discrimination in the workplace. They must:
1. Take real measures when there are reports of discrimination;
2. Be held responsible if they do not respond and the discrimination continues.
Employers are required to display in a visible and accessible place in the workplace:
- the text of the Protection against Discrimination Act;
- the company's internal rules on protection against discrimination;
- and the relevant parts of the collective labor agreement, if there is one.
If you believe that your rights have been violated, you have the right to request information from your employer. They must explain to you:
- the grounds on which they made their decision (e.g., regarding punishment or dismissal);
- as well as provide you with all relevant data that is important to the case.
Important: All workers in Bulgaria—whether Bulgarian or foreigners, refugees or migrants—have equal rights under the law. If you believe that you have been discriminated against or unfairly punished, you can seek help from the Commission for Protection against Discrimination or the Labor Inspectorate, or defend your rights in court. We advise you to seek help from a lawyer who can defend your rights.