The principle of equal pay for equal work has been a keystone in German as well as European law for many years, and it is no secret that the reality in Germany, in particular with regards to the pay gap between men and women, is very different.

The Federal Statistical Office (Statistisches Bundesamt) has been tracking the difference in pay between women and men in Germany since 2006. For 2023, they report that the average gross hourly earnings of women (EUR 20.84) were EUR 4.46 lower than those of men (EUR 25.30), resulting in an average of 18% less earnings per hour (which is the so called “unadjusted gender pay gap”). The so called “adjusted pay gap” takes into account that women work more often than men in sectors, occupations and at job levels where pay is lower or often has more part-time roles. According to the adjusted pay gap, female employees earned on average 6% less per hour than men in 2022, even with comparable jobs, qualifications and employment histories. Over the entire observation period from 2006 to 2022, women earned significantly less per hour worked on average than men. Over the past 16 years, the gender pay gap has narrowed down from 23% in 2006 to 18% in 2022 (unadjusted).Continue Reading Equal pay – the end of individual salary negotiations in Germany?

On 22 September 2022, the Retained EU Law (Revocation and Reform) Bill 2022-2023 was introduced to the House of Commons, and if passed could give rise to the most significant shake up of employment rights since Brexit. 

In summary, the Bill acts to automatically repeal all retained EU law, and remove the principle of the supremacy of EU law, on 31 December 2023 (with the power to extend the revocation date to 23 June 2026) unless specific legislation is introduced to retain it.

What this means for UK employment law is unclear at the moment, but as employment rights relating to the transfer of undertakings (TUPE), annual leave and working time, discrimination and equal pay, and agency, part time and fixed term workers are derived from the EU, the potential for changes in these areas looms large.

We can only speculate at this stage, but there does not seem to be any current indication or suggestion of a radical overhaul of UK employment laws that have their origin in the EU. The UK has a strong track record of high employment standards, on occasion ‘gold-plating’ the minimum criteria required of it by the EU, and although the promised strengthening of rights through the Employment Bill are yet to materialise, the current political landscape is not conducive to a government looking to significantly reduce rights. In addition, trade unions and worker organisations would certainly be likely to vehemently challenge any proposed changes that are to the detriment of workers.Continue Reading What next for EU derived employment rights in the UK?

In the long-running case of Asda Stores v Brierley and others, the Supreme Court ruled that, for the purposes of an equal pay claim, a group of female retail store employees could rely upon the work of mainly male depot distribution employees for comparison even though they are located at different sites.

Generally speaking, an equal pay claim can only progress if the claimant can establish a disparity between their contractual terms and those of an appropriate comparator of the opposite sex performing equal work at either:

  • the same establishment; or
  • a different establishment where “common terms” apply either generally or between the individual and their comparator.

Continue Reading Equal pay: Comparators in different establishments

Today is International Women’s Day. What originally started life in 1909 as a single protest organised by the Socialist Party of America in New York, is now a global event with the backing of the United Nations and some of the world’s largest corporations.

The theme of this year’s campaign is #BeBoldForChange. The UK Government’s own flagship equality measure, while a welcome step forward, is, it might be said, neither particularly bold, nor likely to inspire much change.

In just under a month, from 6 April, new regulations on the publication of gender pay gap information will come into force.Continue Reading Gender Pay Gap Reporting – Do we need more?

On 1 October 2016, regulations are expected to come into force in the UK which will require large private and voluntary sector employers to report annually on gender pay gap information. To give employers time to get to grips with the new obligation, the Government is expected to set 29 April 2018 as the deadline for the first report. However, with a lot of work to do to prepare, this is not as far away as it seems – particularly given that companies will be required to report on bonuses paid for a 12-month period which started 1 May 2016.

We explain below what employers should be doing now to get their house in order and to ensure they are ready to report on time and in a way which promotes and protects their businesses.
Continue Reading Gender Pay Gap Reporting – Why It Matters Now

This week, the Government announced a further measure aimed at eliminating gender pay inequality, requiring larger businesses with more than 250 employees to publish information regarding the bonuses awarded to their male and female employees.

This announcement is part of the Government’s existing strategy aimed at eliminating pay inequalities between men and women. This strategy

This week the Government confirmed it will issue regulations requiring employers who have 250 or more employees to publish gender pay information. This blog explores the impact for employers.

The Government has now confirmed its intention to legislate under section 78 of the Equality Act 2010 which gives the Government power to issue regulations requiring

This post was also written by Carl de Cicco.

The Agency Workers Regulations 2010 (“AWR”) are due to come into force on 1 October 2011. The AWR put in place the requirements of the controversial EU Temporary Agency Workers’ Directive, which has to be implemented by 5th December this year. Last week, rumours circulated in the media that there may be a last minute “watering down” of the AWR by the present government. This seems unlikely, particularly because the AWR has already been scrutinised carefully by the new coalition government after they came into power. The Conservatives were unhappy about the proposed 12 week qualifying period which was not set out in the EU Directive. However, having conducted a review, nothing was changed because the AWR was based on an agreement between the CBI and the TUC made prior to the election and could not be changed. We will, of course, update you on any last minute changes to the AWR, but in the meantime we have prepared below a short summary of the basic elements of the AWR.

The AWR will apply to the relationships between agency workers, agencies and hirers. They offer protection to agency workers, providing them with equal access to facilities and amenities at work, the right to receive information about new positions within the hirer. After working for a qualifying period of twelve weeks, agency workers would also have the right to basic working and employment conditions that are equal to those enjoyed by workers recruited directly by the hirer. In May 2011 the government published guidance (the “Guidance”) to help hirers and agencies understand the implications of the AWR and their responsibilities under them.Continue Reading UK Agency Workers – understanding the new regulations