By Islam El-Sakka
The UK's equality watchdog has proposed that employees should have a legal right to request details about their colleagues' pay, bonuses, working hours and overtime in a bid to tackle pay discrimination.
The Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) said employers should be legally required to respond to such requests and provide explanations for any earnings differences. The proposals come in response to a government consultation on equal pay reforms.
Employers Would Have to Disclose Pay Details
Under the plans, workers could ask for information on basic salaries, performance-related pay, bonuses and working hours. Employers would also be mandated to publish salary information in job adverts and introduce a statutory pay questionnaire.
Ban on Salary History Questions
The watchdog also recommended that employers be banned from asking job candidates about their current salary, a practice the EHRC says perpetuates pay discrimination. Research by the Fawcett Society found that 58 per cent of women and 54 per cent of men believed being asked about past earnings resulted in a lower wage offer.
Gender Pay Gap Context
Latest Office for National Statistics figures show the gender pay gap among full-time employees stood at 6.8 per cent in April. The EHRC argues that greater pay transparency can help identify discrimination sooner and avoid legal action.
EHRC Chairwoman Calls for Effective Enforcement
Mary-Ann Stephenson, chairwoman of the EHRC, said the current equal pay system is too complex and difficult to navigate. She stressed that any new regulatory unit within the commission must be adequately resourced to be effective.
