The G7 countries, which are committed to the need for closing the gender gap, have a wage gap average of about 16 percentage points (photo: iStock by GettyImages). On June 10, 1963, the Equal Pay Act was signed into law, mandating that men and women receive the same pay for the same work. Outside the U.S., the concept of equal pay for work “of equal value” is a growing trend and many countries are adopting national gender pay … On January 1 st, 2018, Iceland became the first country in the world to make pay inequality illegal. While 168 countries take an approach to protecting women’s right to equal pay, only 87 of these countries guarantee equal pay for work of equal … Equal Pay for Equal Work. No equal pay law. In 2014, the International Labour Organization reviewed parental leave policies in 185 countries and territories, and found that all countries except Papua New Guinea have laws mandating some form of parental leave. seq. Companies that cannot prove pay equality will be fined close to $500 a day that the gap continues to exist. You are at risk of an expensive employment tribunal case and reputational damage if you do not provide equal pay. Despite the absence of federal support, many states have picked up the baton to help encourage fair pay practices, with ten states having added four or more equal pay laws since earlier this year, and thirty-eight states considering new equal pay bills in 2018 alone. Women’s average monthly salaries in Sweden are less than 88 per cent of men’s – 95.5 per cent when differences in choice of profession and sector are taken into account (2016). Other states have failed to catch on, and some are going the opposite direction. In 2008, Mauritius introduced one week . This means that 70% of countries in the world still have laws and regulations that may contribute to the gender pay gap. In 2018, Iceland fully enacted the world's first equal pay law. It is not just a legal requirement under the Equality Act 2010 (the Act), but also an important step towards a fairer Britain.. Paying women less than men has far-reaching implications for society by contributing to the gender pay gap, women’s lower pension contributions and their higher incidence of relative poverty in later life. Most countries address wage discrimination in their laws, such as by mandating equal pay for equal work. Raising awareness. Parental leave has been available as a legal right and/or governmental program for many years, in one form or another. Provides employer liability for damages. Prohibits wage discrimination for private employers. Politics. Every year for over a decade, Rwanda has topped the global list of countries with the most female political parliamentarians. That’s in large part thanks to quotas, put in place following the genocide, stipulating that women must make up 30% of parliamentarians. It has been forty-five years since the Equal Pay Act, and yet whilst the gender pay gap is still nearly 10 per cent for full-time work and over 19 per cent for all employment, full time and part time combined1, the number of claims has fallen off by 70 per cent. By contrast, equal pay looks at the difference in men and women’s pay for the same or similar work. It was added onto an employee protections act that was passed in 1938, and is called the Fair Labor Standards Act. Fifty years ago today, President John F. Kennedy’s Equal Pay Act was signed into law with the express purpose of ensuring that women get paid equally for equal work. And the gap has worsened in recent years. Investigators already have Trump’s tax records, as outgoing president faces losing legal protections. On the first International Equal Pay Day, 18 September, take a closer look at the gender pay gap and what can be done to close it. Louisiana, North Carolina, South Carolina, Texas, Utah, Wisconsin and the District of Columbia have pay-related provisions in their employment discrimination laws. Alabama and Mississippi have no equal pay laws. The Golden State has extensive laws to make that happen, including equal pay laws than ban retribution for filing a wage discrimination claim or for discussing salaries with co-workers. Equal pay means that all workers have the right to receive equal remuneration for work of equal value. In addition to federal regulations, states and cities across the U.S., and Puerto Rico are increasingly adopting pay equity laws in an effort to close pay gaps. Gender pay has been specifically placed on the bargaining agenda within the national pay agreements through an ‘equality allowance’. China's State Council has issued and implemented an 'Outline on Women Development in China for Year 2011 to 2020', urging that measures should be taken to procure equal pay for equal work, although we are not aware of any specific initiatives to close the gender pay gap. W. Va. Code, § 21-5E-1, et. The further truth is that gender-based discrimination is illegal in many countries, including the United States. Companies consider that pay is confidential information—even though the National Labor Relations Act preserves the right of employees to discuss workplace conditions, including pay. Equal pay and gender pay gap reporting are not the same thing. The United States (and many other countries) have traditional cultural restrictions on discussing pay. However, even in these countries, the principle of equal pay for equal work is enshrined, or will be enshrined, in law. Norway is considered to be one of the most gender equal countries in the world, with paternity leave introduced in 1993 as a successful equality policy measure to change attitudes towards women. Employers in all sectors benefit by providing equal pay. State employers. A gender pay gap is the average difference in pay between men and women, for example across an organisation. There is global progress in many countries. That doesn’t mean they have equal economic status—only 27% of … Over the past decade, a handful of countries in Africa have introduced paid paternity leave. Morocco was the only nation surveyed where women expected to earn more than men. The World Economic Forum has documented pay disparities in 144 countries. It is the law and employers must follow it. In Finland, separately negotiated adjustments to pay scales have been put in place. Iceland, and many other countries globally, do have legislation on the books that make pay … As set out in the Equality Act 2010, men and women in the same employment performing equal work must receive equal pay, unless any difference in pay can be justified.. The Equal Pay Act is a labor law that prohibits gender-based wage discrimination in the United States. The gender pay gap is calculated by taking all employees in an organisation and comparing the average pay between men and women. 1. Similarly, economies that have fully reformed in all three indicators—, Workplace, Pay and Parenthood,—have even higher female labor force participation (70 percent). Source: Women, Business and the Law database. Yet half a century later, on Equal Pay Day, the gender pay gap in America not only persists, but is doing so to a much larger degree than in many other countries. Wisconsin. Only six countries currently give women and men equal rights, a major report from the World Bank has found. The language in the laws usually is similar to the federal Equal Pay Act and contains the same exceptions. This complementarity in laws reflects the many legal barriers women face in accessing economic opportunities. Provides a cause of action to sue for damages. On Jan. 29, 2009, President Obama signs the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act, an amendment to the Equal Pay Act, into law. She sues and wins approximately $3.3 million in back pay, only to have it stripped away by the Supreme Court because the decision to pay her less than her male counterparts dates back years.   Most workers consider it rude to discuss pay. The US Equal Pay Act went even farther by specifically discussing how employers should evaluate gender. Pay differences are most obvious in the county councils, and the smallest difference is found among blue-collar workers. Belgium was the first country in Europe to organise an equal pay day in 2005. Other laws have helped to strengthen the EPA, and one of these is the 2009 Lily Ledbetter Fair Pay Act. Equal pay for equal work, The gender pay gap Action Plan, Pay Transparency, The Work-Life Balance Directive, Women-On-Boards Directive, Raising Awareness Best practices in EU countries Social dialogue, measuring tools and awareness-raising incentives in EU countries to promote gender pay equality. Equal pay - paying men and women the same for jobs of equal value - has been a legal requirement in Iceland, the UK and many other countries for decades. After leaving office, ... registered in the U.S. and other countries. Prohibits wage discrimination for public employers. Why is there not equal pay? These pro-women laws might have something to do with the second area in which Rwanda leads: female political participation. All private employers . What do we mean by equal pay for work of equal value? The forum estimates at the current rate, it will take 217 years to close the global economic gap. It’s possible to have a gender pay gap and to pay men and women fairly. Employers with 250 or more employees must publish figures about their gender pay gap. Finnish gender pay. Signed by President Kennedy in 1963 as an amendment to Globally, the average pay for women in 2017 was $12,000, compared with $21,000 for men. Although the U.S. passed the Equal Pay Act in 1963, which made it illegal for employers to pay men and women differently for similar work, legislation hasn’t been very effective.