Upcoming Events :
Seminar: Outsourcing and Contract Procurement
Tue 28 Feb 2012
Minerva House, 5 Montague Close, London, SE1 9BB
SMEs urged to comply with gender pay laws
Mon 06 Sep 2010
Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in the UK have been told to make their pay systems more fair and transparent.
The Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) has joined forces with the British Chambers of Commerce (BCC) to highlight the issue of a disparity between men's and women's salaries.
Figures from the two organisations show that on average, male workers in Britain earn 16.4 per cent more per hour than women.
The groups have therefore published guidance on how SME pay systems can be revised to ensure they comply with the Equal Pay Act.
Susan Kelly of Winckworth Sherwood Solicitors commented: "This guidance in what is a complicated area of law will be welcome to small and medium-sized employers, who are increasingly realising that equal pay claims are by no means reserved to the public sector."
Businesses were advised that reforming their internal structures to meet the recommendations would take a maximum of four hours.
David Frost, director general of the BCC, said adopting a fairer and more transparent pay system would help the private sector recruit the most talented employees and stimulate economic growth in Britain.
This comes after the Chartered Management Institute estimated that if the current rate of salary growth for men and women continues at its present pace, complete pay parity will not be achieved until 2067.
