Ground-Breaking 50 Year Old Law Requires Updating

A leading employment lawyer has welcomed a new bill currently passing through Parliament which would significantly increase women’s rights in the workplace.

The Equal Pay Act received royal assent 50 years ago and was updated a decade ago by the Equality Act.

Although viewed as a ground-breaking piece of legislation, Baroness Prosser is now sponsoring a private members’ bill that would further boost women’s pay rights.

Delayed by the coronavirus, the bill is now waiting its second reading in the Lords. If passed it would give women greater powers and the ability to ask what men earn who perform the same role if they suspect discrimination is taking place. 

Shazia Khan, an employment partner at Irwin Mitchell, believes the proposed reforms would be an important step in the right direction for claimants.

Speaking to The Times newspaper this week, Shazia said she supported the bill and added the proposed reform would be: “A welcome step to assist claimants who seek enforcement of the equality clause provisions implied into their contracts.”

She added that: “The Bill seeks to address the practical difficulties which women have encountered in enforcing their rights around comparator evidence and pay transparency”.