Equality Pay Act ‘no longer fit for purpose’

-

The 1975 Equal Pay Act is "no longer fit for purpose" and is in drastic need of reform.

That is according to the Equality and Human Right Commission, which has suggested that it should no longer be up to employees to bring cases of inequality to light.

Instead, the Commission has called for a system where it is the employer’s responsibility to ensure they are providing employees with "pay systems that are transparent and fair".

Commenting on the perceived inadequacy of the current system, Nicola Brewer, chair of the Equality and Human Rights Commission, said: "We need to look afresh at what modern equal pay legislation should look
like … it’s time to shift the focus to preventing problems from arising in the first place, rather than tackling them through the tribunal system after the fact."

Get our essential weekday HR news and updates.

This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.
Keep up with the latest in HR...
This field is hidden when viewing the form
This field is hidden when viewing the form
Optin_date
This field is hidden when viewing the form

 

Ms Brewer said she believed the "upcoming Equality Bill" provided a "significant opportunity to move towards a modern approach".

The Commission is calling for a number of changes to the current system, which include asking larger companies to provide details of the pay bands that men and women are in.

Announced in the Queen’s speech on December 3rd 2008, the Equality Bill aims to simplify existing legislation and advance equality.

Latest news

Personalising the Benefits Experience: Why Employees Need More Than Just Information

This article explores how organisations can move beyond passive, one-size-fits-all communication to deliver relevant, timely, and simplified benefits experiences that reflect employee needs and life stages.

Grant Wyatt: When the love dies – when staying is riskier than quitting

When people fall out of love with their employer, or feel their employer has fallen out of love with them, what follows is rarely a clean exit.

£30bn pension savings window opens for employers ahead of 2029 reforms

UK employers could unlock billions in National Insurance savings by expanding pension salary sacrifice schemes before new limits take effect in 2029.

Expat jobs ‘fail early as costs hit $79,000 per worker’

International assignments are ending early due to family strain, isolation and poor preparation, as rising costs increase pressure on employers.
- Advertisement -

The Great Employer Divide: What the evidence shows about employers that back parents and carers — and those that don’t

Understand the growing divide between organisations that effectively support working parents and carers — and those that don’t. This session shows how to turn employee experience data into a clear business case, linking care-related pressures to performance, retention and workforce stability.

Scott Mills exit puts spotlight on risk of ‘news vacuum’ in high-profile dismissals

Sudden departure of a long-serving BBC presenter raises questions about how employers manage high-profile dismissals and limit speculation.

Must read

Beyond Brexit: Defining how HR influences the business

In today’s economic climate, where Brexit and 2016’s seismic political shift have created instability during a period of unparalleled business disruption, it’s of little surprise that businesses entered 2017 with a degree of trepidation.

Bruce Barclay: The role of the workplace in employee experience

The physical workplace is playing a key role in that battle, as it’s now required to attract and retain talent, engage and inspire people and ensure they’re working at their most productive while they’re there.
- Advertisement -

You might also likeRELATED
Recommended to you