Gender pay reporting delayed

Although employers have known for some time about the forthcoming requirement for employers with 250 or more employees to publish gender pay information, we have been waiting for confirmation of when the new rules would come into effect.

Our previous article on gender pay reporting can be found here.

It had previously been thought that the regulations would be published in summer 2016 and would come into force on 1 October.

However, the Government has now finally confirmed that the proposed regulations have been delayed – the current plan is for them to be laid before Parliament in the autumn, and for them to take effect in April 2017.

The effect of this is that 30 April 2017 is now likely to be the ‘relevant date’ under the gender pay reporting regulations, which will mean that the first gender pay reports would be due by the end of April 2018.

As we covered at our recent series of workshops, the draft regulations do not contain any penalties for non-compliance, or for publishing inaccurate information. The intention seems to be for reputation to be the main motivator for employers to publish their gender pay data and to take steps to narrow their gender pay gap.

If you would like to talk through a situation you are dealing with, or if you need advice on any aspect of employment law, please contact any member of the Pure Employment Law team (01243 836840 or [email protected]).

Please note that this update is not intended to be exhaustive or be a substitute for legal advice. The application of the law in this area will often depend upon the specific facts and you are advised to seek specific advice on any given scenario.