Gender Pay Gap Reporting: Myth-busting

discrimination, discrimination issues, legislation, parental leave, paternity leave, positive discrimination, recruitment, sex discrimination

I write further to the deadline for Gender Pay Gap Reporting expiring last week. Much has been made in the media of that deadline being the day by which qualifying employers (i.e. those with 250 or more employees) have to submit the percentage difference in pay between their male and female staff.

The initial results? Nearly 80% of those employers who have responded (some haven’t) have reported higher pay levels to men than women.

So, that means that those employers are discriminating against women, right? Well, not necessarily. But the figures are there in black and white – surely, every employer with a higher pay towards males is inherently sexist? Not really.

The reality is that the figures are suggestive only and there are many legitimate reasons why pay may be skewed either way, whether towards males or females. Let’s take a look and bust some myths about the Gender Pay Gap Reporting.

Key employment law changes

Apprentices, contract terms, employment law, employment tribunals, maternity pay, minimum wage, National Living Wage, NMW, parental leave, paternity leave, private sector pay, public sector pay

As you may or may not be aware, each year in April the Government introduces new legislation in respect of employment rights and responsibilities.  Below is a summary of the key changes being implemented this month. National Living Wage From 1st April 2016, workers aged 25 and over are entitled to the ‘national living wage’…

right to request flexible working extended to most employees

ACAS, flexible working, maternity leave, maternity pay, parental leave, part-time workers, paternity leave

Most employers are familiar with the procedure to be applied when dealing with flexible working applications which have been around, on a legislative basis, since 2003. Initially the right to request flexible was confined to the parents of children under six or of disabled children under 18. In 2007 the right was extended to carers of adults…

consultation on modern workplaces – parental rights

employment law, flexible working, maternity leave, maternity pay, news, newsletter, paternity leave

The Government issued its BIS "Modern Workplaces Consultation" on 16 May 2011 . One of the topics covered is "Flexible Parental Leave". Consultation closes on 8 August 2011. In bare outline, the main elements in the “flexible parental leave” part of the proposals are : Initial leave rights (around the birth/adoption of a child): Maternity…