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07th Apr 2017

UK companies ordered to publish male and female wages in a bid to eliminate the gender pay gap

Katie Mythen-Lynch

Now we’re talking.

In a bold move aimed at closing the gender pay gap, employers in the United Kingdom will be asked to publish the salaries they pay their male and female employees.

Any British company with more than 250 employees must hand over the figures before April 2018. The regulations will see the take-home pay of more than 15 million employees reviewed.

The new rule is being enforced to rectify an 18% shortfall in the hourly wages of women in Britain when compared to men.

Minister for women and equalities Justine Greening said: “We have more women in work, more women-led businesses than ever before and the highest proportion of women on the boards of our biggest companies.

“This has helped us to narrow the gender pay gap to a record 18.1%, but we want to eliminate it completely.

“Helping women to reach their full potential isn’t only the right thing to do, it makes good economic sense and is good for British business.”

Earlier this week it was announced that Iceland is set to become the first country in the world to require public and private businesses to provide equal pay for male and female employees.

A bill has been presented by the Icelandic parliament that will require companies and institutions of 25 or more employees to undertake a certification of their equal pay programmes. It is due to come into effect in January of next year.