While not as common as it used to be, equal pay is still a pressing issue in the modern-day workplace. You may find out somehow you’re making more or less money than a colleague in the same or similar position as you and think it unfair that you are not making the right amount of money. You might think you’re being discriminated against, not being compensated fairly for your work or just believing that everybody should be paid equally.
Here is a guide to how to ask for equal pay from your employer.
Check For Evidence
The first thing you want to do is collect your evidence that you and your employees are not being paid equally. While it can seem awkward, you can ask your fellow employees how much they are being paid and compare it to yourself. Equal pay amongst the sexes is still a massive problem, so ensure you ask a range of coworkers of all genders about their wages. They’re allowed to tell you if they want to, but it is up to them to decide whether they want to or not, you cannot force them.
You can also ask your employer for basic information about other people’s pay that isn’t protected by data protection, such as how much people who do the same or similar work earn and if there are any reasons for differences in terms of pay and the conditions of peoples contracts.
Raise The Issue
The first thing you should do if you think you have a case is to talk to your employer directly and share any evidence you have. If this doesn’t work, you can take this informal chat to a formal issue with HR.
If none of this works and you believe the evidence you have gathered is sufficient, you can take your equal pay claim to an employment tribunal. You can claim for sex discrimination and have to compare your pay and conditions with somebody else. They must be the opposite sex to you, do equal work and work for the same employer. More than one comparator can be used if applicable.
If you and other colleagues want to band together and ask for equal pay this is fine to do, but you can also petition for equal pay on an individual basis.
Employment Law Services From Swan Craig Solicitors
If you think you deserve equal pay and need representation, get in touch with the team at Swan Craig Solicitors today. We can give expert advice on many aspects of employment law and have years of experience litigating for individual claimants in court.
So if you’d like some advice or want to utilise our services, call today on 01179 200128 to talk through your requirements with one of our team. If you’d like to find out more about our employment law services for businesses and individuals, visit our website now.
