Under this act, women were to be paid the same salaries as men for doing equal work under equal conditions. Pdf trends in gender equality in the uk, 1968 to 2012. The conservative government of 1970 1974 didnt choose to bring it into force so it was reenacted in 1975 as a schedule to the sex discrimination act once labour was back in power. The implementation of the equal remuneration act, 1976 is done at two levels. The equal pay act ni 1970, as amended, the equal pay act gives women and men the right to equal pay for equal work. Although enacted on 1 april 1961, the first payment was not made. A 1982 judgement by the european court of justice led to the uk amending the equal pay act in 1983 in order to incorporate the concept of equal value into uk law. Equal pay legislation and its impact on the gender pay gap. The provisions relating to equal pay are known as the equality of terms provisions and are scattered throughout the act, but are brought together in the equal pay statutory. The equal pay act 1970 was the first piece of uk legislation which enshrined the right to pay equality between women and men. The following is the text of the equal pay act of 1963 pub.
The equal pay amendment regulations 1983 womens pay remains significantly lower than that of men. A merger of equals is when two firms of about the same size come together to form a single company. Indeed, this is a particularly timely point to do that because, although the equal pay act was passed in 1970, the provisions were rolled into the equality act 2010. Do work found to be of equal value in terms of skill, effort, or decision making. Employers should pay men and women on the same basic terms, providing the work they do is broadly similar, or rated as equivalent under a job evaluation scheme, for example. In 1970, the department of labor issued sex discrimination guidelines interpreting executive order. The act was improved in 1983 to introduce the work of equal value and in present days, most cases are under this newer part of the act. Hr magazine private sector employers urged to brace themselves for discrimination claims following equality act in october david woods, 01 september 2010 employers should take care in implementing new pay structures following recent case ruling vicky bennett, 02 september 2010. Equal remuneration acts and rules, 1976 ministry of labour. All part time and temporary workers must be paid the minimum wage. Sloane lecturers in industrial economics, department of industrial economics, university of nottingham.
If anything, the second world war probably achieved more for women workers than the tuc, when some groups of women, such as bus conductresses, got equal pay. The 1960 act introduced equal pay legislation into the public sector, covering all government employees and also those whose salaries were paid out from money appropriated by parliament. Critically evaluate the ways in which the equal pay act 1970 s. Equal pay legislation and the gender wage gap iza world of labor.
According to this act, the jobs do not need to be identical, but substantially equivalent to each other. Equal pay laws are an extension of sex discrimination. The meaning of same employment is explained in paragraphs 25 and 26. It has now been mostly superseded by part 5, chapter 3, of the equality act 2010. Before 1970, it was common practice in the private sector and some parts of the public sector for there to be separate, and lower, womens rates of pay.
The equal pay act 1970 gets more specific when all workers are employed to. Equal pay act 1972 and government services equal pay act 1960 the purpose of these acts was the removal and prevention of discrimination based on the sex of employees epa 1972, s. Effects on businesses of equal pay and minimum wage legislation. It makes sex discrimination unlawful in relation to contractual pay and benefits. A 1982 judgement by the european court of justice led to the uk amending the equal pay act in 1983 in order. Equal pay and equality legislation the british library. The equal pay act and the decades of civil rights legal advances that followed. The equal pay act was passed in 1970 by a labour government.
In a formal statement, president kennedy assured americans that the law was necessary to bring structure basic to democracy, providing. The tuc had first raised the issue in 1888, 82 years previously. Carolyn maloney dny, who continues to call for the prohibition of denying or abridging equal rights under law by the united states or any state on account of sex as it was originally proposed in 1923. Equal pay statutory code of practice equality and human. It set out that an individual can claim equal pay when she or he, when compared with a comparator of the opposite sex, is employed in. The 1970 act only dealt with equal pay for the same work but in 1975 the eu directive on equal pay was passed based on article 119.
Pay equity around the globe employment law lookout. This act also prevents employers from compensating differently on the basis of sex. The law on equal pay has been in place since the 1970s, originally under the equal pay act 1970 and more recently under the equality act 1970. Oct 17, 2012 introduction title equal pay act 1970 requires that men and women be paid the same amount of money for the same amount of work, when in the same establishment. Congress derived the power to legislate on this matter through the interstate commerce clause as many commercial enterprises conduct business that crosses state lines. It was based on the equal pay act of 1963 of the united states.
Celebrating prezis teacher community for teacher appreciation week. Pdf equal pay legislation and its impact on the gender. This year marks the 50th anniversary of the equal pay act, signed into law by president john f. Critically evaluate the ways in which the equal pay act. Introduction legislation mandating equality of pay between women and men was among the earliest forms of sex discrimination legislation to be adopted in britain. Although the law on equal pay may seem complicated, its purpose is simple to ensure that where women and men are doing equal work for the same or an associated employer, they. The fulltime gender pay gap has narrowed since 1975 when equal pay legislation first came into force but there remains a gap of over 16 per cent. The equal pay act 1970 initially narrowed the gap, which was closest in 1977. But on average women are still paid less than men to do the same jobs.
The equal pay provisions in the equal pay act ni 1970 apply to all contractual terms, not just those directly related to remuneration, such as holiday entitlement. Everything you need to know about the equal pay act 3 reintroduced as h. The equal pay act of 1963 is a united states labor law amending the fair labor standards act, aimed at abolishing wage disparity based on sex see gender pay gap. The legislation which governs equal pay in the united kingdom is the equal pay act 1970, which came into force on the 29th december 1975. At the time, congress found that sexbased wage discrimination contributed. The act prohibits discrimination in the payment of wages and salary based on gender. Equal remuneration act, 1976 northern coalfields limited. You do not have to be doing the same job as the person you are comparing with. Pdf this paper disaggregates the pay gap between men and women into four possible. The economic consequences of the equal pay act 1970 p. Equal pay act of 1963 united states 1963 britannica. It was signed into law on june 10, 1963, by john f.
The equal pay act came into force in 1970 to prohibit less favourable treatment between men and women in terms of pay and conditions of employment. Prior to the 2010 act, the equal pay act 1970 only allow ed for an actual compa rator. The equality act 2010 eqa 2010 decrees that men and women performing work of equal value should receive the same pay what is pay. In the 1970s women, on average, were paid about 50% of mens wages in manufacturing and the professions. Dec 23, 20 the law amends the civil rights act of 1964 to reset the 180 day statute of limitations with each new discriminatory paycheck. It replaces previous legislation on equal pay, including the equal pay act 1970, the sex discrimination act 1975, and the equality provisions in the pensions act 1995. Effects on businesses of equal pay and minimum wage. The equal pay act eqpa was passed in 1970 in anticipation of britains impending membership of the then european economic community. Equal pay act 1970 as amended by the equal pay act 1970 amendment. The economic consequences of the equal pay act 1970. Since 1975, the act has been repealed in 2010 and was called the equality act 2010. A separate and lower minimum hourly level for 1821 and 1617 year olds.
However, the model embodied in the equal pay act 1970 is increasingly being. Equal remuneration acts and rules, 1976 ministry of. The equal pay act has now become part of the 2010 equality act. The first effect of the equal pay act 1970 was to remove separate lower womens rates of pay. Equal pay act 1970 1970 chapter 41 an act to prevent discrimination, as regards terms and conditions of employment between men and women 29th may 1970 be it enacted by the queens most excellent majesty, by and with the advice and consent of the lords spiritual. Do like work meaning work that is the same or broadly similar. The act is being implemented by the central government in relation to any employment carried on by or under the authority of the central government or a railway administration, or in relation to a banking company, a mine, oil field or major port or any corporation. Employment equal pay for men and womew 1 the employment equal pay for men and women act act 34 of 1975. The law offers yet another advantage of filing an unequal pay claim under both the equal pay act and title vii.
The equal pay act was an amendment to the fair labor standards act of 1938 that provided such reforms as overtime pay and a ban on child labor. Equal pay act 1970 was enforced at the end of 1975 and its aim to reduce the discrimination in pay between male and female workers. The equal pay act 1970 predated the more general prohibition on sex discrimination in employment by five years. Rowena lewis, from the fawcett society, describes it as disturbing that 40 years on from an act designed to. It gave a right to equal pay where work was broadly similar or had been rated as equivalent by a job evaluation system if an employer had chosen to conduct job evaluation, in each case subject to a genuine material factor defence if the employer could. The equal pay act 1970 has now been mostly superseded by part 5, chapter 3, of the equality act 2010. Perform work rated as equivalent under a job evaluation study. Which means work that is the same or broadly similar. Pay refers to any part of the pay package, terms of employment and benefits, including.
Everything you need to know about the equal pay act. The national war labor board first advocated equal pay for equal work in 1942, and an equal pay act was proposed in. Bna operations manual, the cvil rights act of 1964 at 302. An unhappy anniversary for the equal pay act jon robins. An employer can only pay a man more than a woman for doing equal work if there is a genuine and. The fall 2018 edition of the simple truth about the gender pay gap was written by.
Hr magazine private sector employers urged to brace themselves for discrimination claims following equality act in october david woods, 01 september 2010 employers should take care in implementing new pay structures following recent case ruling vicky bennett, 02. This act may be cited as the employment equal short 2. Those on piecerate pay must receive at least the minimum wage. In some professions and at some levels womens wages are equal to mens. Equal pay day 2010 equal employment opportunity commission. Which means work that is the same or broadly similar, regardless of. In a merger of equals, shareholders from both firms surrender their shares and. The equality act 2010 eqa 2010 decrees that men and women performing work of equal value should receive the same pay. Introduction title equal pay act 1970 requires that men and women be paid the same amount of money for the same amount of work, when in the same establishment. Member countries, including the uk, have embedded the european legislation and directives in national laws.
The act sets out that men and women doing work of equal value should be paid the same amount. The equal pay act 1970 was an act of the parliament of the united kingdom that prohibited any less favourable treatment between men and women in terms of pay and conditions of employment. Rowena lewis, from the fawcett society, describes it. Despite the 1970 equal pay act, a gender pay gap still exists today. This extends to all contractual benefits such as bonuses. Chapter 8 employment, labor, and wages flashcards quizlet. Uk laws and acts against the discrimination on the work. Article, introduced by the treaty of amsterdam in 1996, is the basis for directives 200078ec and 200043ec.
Since then it has expanded again, though only very slightly. In the uk, longstanding legislation, such as the disabled persons acts 1944, 1958, 1986, the equal pay. In 1963, a year before the enactment of title vii of the civil rights act, congress passed the equal pay act epa to end wage disparities among employees who performed work requiring substantially equal skill, effort and responsibility under similar working conditions. The human rights act 1998, implemented in october 2000, with the uk to be fully compliant by 2007, also has farreaching implications. Equal pay act 1970 and the equality act 2010 equality of terms 2. The act does so by giving her the right to equality in the terms of her contract of employment or. I will study what is the equal pay act 1970 in a first part, then i will have a look at an example where the act is used and finally i will evaluate the act.
The equal pay act 1970 uk equality clause for men and women. Nearly 40 years after the introduction of the equal pay act 1970 the struggle for equal pay still persists. The equal pay act entitles a woman doing equal work with a man in the same employment to equality in pay and terms and conditions. It gave a right to equal pay where work was broadly similar or had been rated as equivalent by a job evaluation system if an employer had chosen to conduct job evaluation, in each case subject to a genuine material factor defence if the.
The national war labor board first advocated equal pay for equal work in 1942, and an equal pay act was proposed in 1945. Jun 07, 2010 an unhappy anniversary for the equal pay act. Equal employment opportunity commission the equal pay act of 1963 editors note. Mar 08, 20 despite the 1970 equal pay act, a gender pay gap still exists today. Going further than contemporary overseas legislation, this act also recognised the need to introduce equal pay in occupations performed exclusively or principally by women. An act to prevent discrimination, as regards terms and conditions of employment, between men and women. Despite the law being very clear on equal pay, unfortunately it remains a common problem in the workplace that men and women are not paid equally for equal work. The act is being implemented by the central government in relation to any employment carried on by or under the authority of the central government or a railway administration, or in relation to a banking company, a mine, oil field or. The equal pay act 1970 gave an individual worker the right to bring a claim against her employer for equality of pay with a comparator of the opposite sex who was employed in the same employment and establishment as she was. Most of this progress, however, took place in the 1970s and 1980s. In passing the bill, congress stated that sex discrimination depresses wages and living standards for employees.