What countries does this apply to?
- England
- Scotland
- Wales
In step 2 of your equal pay review, you need to compare the pay of men and women doing equal work to identify any discrepancies that cannot be justified.
You may find the tool below helpful when comparing pay:
| Question | Response | Response |
|---|---|---|
| Are the basic hourly earnings the same for men and women doing this job? | Yes | No |
| Are the total hourly earnings the same for men and women doing this job? | Yes | No |
| Do men and women doing this job get the same type of benefits? | Yes | No |
| Are the amounts of the benefits the same for men and women in this job? | Yes | No |
The answer to every question should be ‘yes’. If not, you need to find out what is causing those pay differences.
For example, you might find that people’s starting salaries are not always the same, that part-time workers are paid less per hour than full-time workers, or that some employees are paid more in bonuses than others.
Some of the common causes of differences in pay between men and women doing equal work include:
- differences in starting pay or in pay increases since joining the firm
- different lengths of service in the job leading to either higher or lower pay
- differences in overtime and shift pay, with some jobs attracting higher rates
- some jobs are being paid commission but others are not
- some jobs are receiving bonuses but others are not
Once you’ve done this, you should have a clearer picture of the situation within your organisation regarding the pay of men and women doing equal work.
Contact Acas for further information
If you are involved in an employment dispute or are seeking information on employment rights and rules, you can contact the Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service (Acas):
Freephone: 0300 123 1100 (8am to 6pm Monday to Friday)
Text Relay service: 18001 0300 123 1100.
Page updates
Published:
26 August 2020
Last updated:
26 August 2020