Employment law ‘must protect women from discrimination’

Posted 04/10/2009

The government has been called upon to amend an incoming employment law in order to enforce fairer systems of pay for female workers.

Ruth Sunderland, business editor for the Observer, has recommended that the new Equality Bill be amended to ensure that women are given more legal protection against discriminatory pay practices.

Among the proposed suggestions is the introduction of provisions for class action lawsuits to be brought against companies found to be offering unequal pay, as well as mandatory salary audits for employers.

The author suggested that such measures were necessary in order to assist women who currently feel too intimidated to pursue fair treatment.

Ms Sunderland said: “Pay discrimination is a systemic injustice affecting whole groups of women segregated in undervalued occupations; they should not have to fight it alone.”

This comes after workers’ union Unite recently demanded that the government work together with companies and the Equality and Human Rights Commission to stamp out pay discrimination against women.