Equal pay

legal updates

Men and Women in the workplace must receive equal treatment.

Read our disclaimer keyboard_arrow_down

This website content is intended as a general guide to law as it applies to the motor trade. Lawgistics has taken every effort to ensure that the contents are as accurate and up to date as at the date of first publication.

The laws and opinions expressed within this website may be varied as the law develops. As such we cannot accept liability for or the consequence of, any change of law, or official guidelines since publication or any misuse of the information provided.

The opinions in this website are based upon the experience of the authors and it must be recognised that only the courts and recognised tribunals can interpret the law with authority.

Examples given within the website are based on the experience of the authors and centre upon issues that commonly give rise to disputes. Each situation in practice will be different and may comprise several points commented upon.

If you have any doubt about the correct legal position you should seek further legal advice from Lawgistics or a suitably qualified solicitor. We cannot accept liability for your failure to take professional advice where it should reasonably be sought by a prudent person.

All characters are fictitious and should not be taken as referring to any person living or dead.

Use of this website shall be considered acceptance of the terms of the disclaimer presented above.

Equal pay has been in the media frequently through out the year and more recently, the BBC presenter Samira Ahmed has filed a claim against the BBC.  Within her claim, she has alleged to have been paid a “sixth” of what Jeremy Vine was earning in a very similar job. 

An employment tribunal will now be considering the claim. It will look at, should Admed’s pay (for Newswatch) have been comparable with Vines (BBC One’s Points of View).  It is alleged that Ahmed received £440.00 per episode of Newswatch whereas Vine allegedly received £3,000! Ahmed’s legal team have stated Vine has earned £693,245 more than Ahmed between November 2012 and February 2019.

However, the BBC have defended their position and stated the two programmes cannot be compared. It is also said that Ahmed was paid the same as her male predecessor, Ray Snoddy.  The BBC have stated that they are committed to equal pay.

So what is equal pay?

Men and Women in the workplace must receive equal treatment which includes terms and conditions if they are employed to do

  • ‘like work’ – the work that is the same or broadly similar
  • work rated as equivalent under a job evaluation study 
  • work found to be of equal value in terms of effort, skill or decision making.

An employee can compare the terms in the contract of employment with the comparators contract. A comparator is an employee of the opposite sex which is working for the same employer and doing like work of equal value.  The employer may defend a claim if they can show the reason for the difference is due to a genuine factor. This must not be based on the sex of the employee.

The Equality Act 2010 makes it unlawful to prevent employees from having discussions to establish if there are differences in pay. But, an employer can require their employees to keep pay rates confidential from people outside of the workplace.

The equal terms can cover all aspects of pay and benefits, including:

  • basic pay
  • overtime rates
  • performance related benefits
  • hours of work
  • access to pension schemes
  • non monetary terms
  • annual leave entitlements

If an employee believes they are being discriminated against and cannot resolve the problem informally or through the grievance procedure, they may complain to an employment tribunal under the Equality Act 2010 while still working for the employer. If the employment with the employer has come to an end, the employee can still make a claim up to six months after leaving the employment

WeRecruit Auto LtdPermanent Automotive Recruitment from an experienced and trustworthy recruitment partner.

We cover roles within all departments and sectors of the Automotive industry, and are here to listen to your specific needs and find the most suitable candidates to fit your business.

Roxanne BradleyLegal AdvisorRead More by this author

Related Legal Updates

Holiday Entitlement Updates for Zero-Hours and Casual Contracts

This serves as a reminder of these important changes and outlines the actions required to ensure compliance.

Employment Bill of Rights 2024

The Employment Rights Bill proposes that paternity and parental leave will now fall into a “day one right” of employment.

Notice to Dismiss – Reminder!

The law states an employer or employee who terminates employment is required to provide the following notice…

Day 1 Employment Rights

Employees are already protected from day one in respect of wrongful dismissal and discrimination, but a dismissal based on poor conduct, for example, can be effected by giving relevant notice. 

Overview of Contemplated Employment Law Changes

We will continue to keep our members informed as more details emerge and as the timeline for these changes becomes clearer.

Changes to Sexual Harassment Law

In addition to safeguarding employees from harassment by colleagues, the duty extends to third-party harassment, such as harassment by customers.

New government… new laws

The recent announcement means an employee may be able to claim an unfair dismissal from day one. 

Get in touch

Complete the form to get in touch or via our details below:

Phone
01480 455500
Address

Vinpenta House
High Causeway
Whittlesey
Peterborough
PE7 1AE

By submitting this quote you agree to our Terms & Conditions and Privacy & Cookies Policy.

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.