Penningtons Manches' gender pay gap survey reveals need for specialist legal advice

Posted: 06/06/2017

Despite the level of publicity that the new Gender Pay Gap Regulations have received in recent weeks, an online survey has revealed a degree of uncertainty over their practical application in the workplace.

One of the issues highlighted by the Penningtons Manches survey, conducted online in April 2017, is uncertainty over who should be included when employers assess the number of employees in their organisation, with one in five respondents unsure whether or not to include contractors in their headcount. The definition of ‘pay’ was also an issue, with 55% unsure which benefit schemes should be included.

The new regulations oblige organisations with over 250 employees to publish a gender pay gap figure by 5 April 2018, yet less than one third of the organisations surveyed had definite plans about when to publish and whether to include a (voluntary) narrative. “The way in which communication is handled can potentially have an impact on both the external reputation of an organisation and the individuals who work within it,” warns employment partner Hilary Aldred. “As the deadline approaches, we believe that there is a growing need for organisations to seek specialist advice not only on the calculation of the figures but also on the preparation and presentation of the public statement.”

Data gathering and calculating the gender pay gap can be a complex process for an organisation so to assist employers the Penningtons Manches team has developed the ‘Gender Pay Gap Calculator’ to evaluate mean, median and bonus figures. This is supported by legal advice to ensure that data collected and input complies with the regulations. The team then works with organisations to determine how the resulting figures should be presented, and what steps can be taken to close any pay gaps which may exist.

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