Women workers ‘still facing discrimination despite employment law’

Posted 14/06/2010

Many UK companies are still discriminating against female staff members in terms of pay and treatment despite efforts to tackle the problem via employment law.

This is the view of the Equality & Human Rights Commission (EHRC), which has reiterated its call for more progress to be made on closing the gender pay gap.

The message comes after the EHRC supported two female Skills Development Scotland staff members in their employment tribunal after finding they had been paid £10,000 a year less than a male colleague in the same position for eight years.

Kaliani Lyle, Scotland Commissioner for the EHRC, said this was “unacceptable” and stated that firms must make efforts to be more transparent about their pay policies.

She added: “We have made it clear that when the voluntary approach fails, we will use our enforcement powers to address any persistent and significant problems.”

This comes after the 40th anniversary of the Equal Pay Act was marked last month by groups including the EHRC, the Fawcett Society and the Trades Union Congress, who hosted a conference to highlight the need to tackle the pay gap.