The draft Equality Act 2010 (Equal Pay Audits) Regulations 2014 have been published and will require employers who have breached the equal pay provisions of the Equality Act 2010 to carry out pay audits. Tribunals will be obliged to make an order for an audit when an equal pay claim is successful. It is intended that the regulations will not come into force until 1st October 2014 and will then only apply to claims presented on or after that day. There will be some exemptions for micro-businesses, new businesses and employers who have already carried out equal pay audits in the preceding three years.
The audit would be very detailed for an employer who would have to publish relevant gender pay information which identifies any differences giving reasons for the differences and any highlight any potential equal pay breaches and how it intends to rectify those breaches. Such audits would no doubt be very useful data for Claimants in the future in Equal Pay claims.
Written by
Laura Warrender
29th July 2014