What is the Equal Pay Act UK?
The Equality Act 2010 gives both women and men the right to equal pay for equal work, with women and men being legally entitled to be paid at the same rate for like work, work rated as equivalent, and work of equal value.
When did equal pay become law in the UK?
1970
The Equal Pay Act 1970 was the first piece of UK legislation which enshrined the right to pay equality between women and men.
Does Britain have equal pay?
This year marks 50 years since the Equal Pay Act received royal assent in the UK, meaning employers were prohibited from paying women less than men for the same job. Although unequal pay is now illegal, the gender pay gap – the percentage difference between the average hourly earnings for men and women – persists.
When did the Equal Pay Act come into force?
1970 CHAPTER 41. An Act to prevent discrimination, as regards terms and conditions of employment, between men and women.
Who qualifies for equal pay?
By law, men and women must get equal pay for doing ‘equal work’ (work that equal pay law classes as the same, similar, equivalent or of equal value). This means someone must not get less pay compared to someone who is both: the opposite sex. doing equal work for the same employer.
What was the wage gap in 1970s?
At its lowest point in 1973, full-time, working women earned a median of 56.6 cents to every dollar that full-time, working men earned. Since then, women’s median earnings have gained 25 cents, reaching 81.6 cents in 2018. This pay gap is costly.
Who fought for the Equal Pay Act of 1963?
Esther Peterson: The Woman Who Drafted the Equal Pay Act of 1963. One of the key activists in the fight for equal pay was Esther Peterson. In 1944, she became the very first lobbyist for the National Labor Relations Board, which started her path as a labor activist.
Is unequal pay illegal UK?
As set out in the Equality Act 2010, men and women in the same employment performing equal work must receive equal pay, unless any difference in pay can be justified. It is the law and employers must follow it.
Can 2 employees doing the same job be paid differently UK?
You are entitled to the same pay as anyone doing the same or broadly similar job, or a job of equal value, regardless of gender. There are strict time limits on when you can lodge a claim. If your employer is not treating you equally, they are breaking the law.
Is it illegal to pay people different wages for the same job?
Can a company pay different wages for the same job? It is legal for a company to pay different wages for the same or similar job, but only if there are non-discriminatory material factors which explain the reason for the difference.
Is equal pay for equal work the law?
The Equal Pay Act requires that men and women in the same workplace be given equal pay for equal work. The jobs need not be identical, but they must be substantially equal. Job content (not job titles) determines whether jobs are substantially equal.