Although there have been attempts to improve the gender pay gap a new study has revealed that pay issues are even worse than they were in 2005.
The Commons Women and Equalities Committee stated that the gender pay gap for women in full-time senior employment is higher now than it was in 2005.
Figures from Office for National Statistics show that the gap between men and women's pay for full-time workers has changed marginally with the level being at 9.4% in April 2015, compared with 9.6% in 2014.
The figures highlighting the issues between male and female employment comes despite many initiatives to improve the gender pay gap. In the next year employers with more than 250 staff to publish details of male and female pay, as part of government efforts to reduce the pay gap. However, despite the efforts, a subsequent study has found that the proportion of high female earners in the UK has not changed in the last four years.
According to figures from HM Revenue and Customs women made up for a just over a quarter of the highest taxpayers in the UK despite an increase of one million high earners in the UK. This demonstrates that despite over 4 million tax high-earning taxpayers, a mere one million are female.
The figures showing the number of high earners in the UK comes despite a huge effort to try and reduce gender inequality. This year a number companies, especially banks, have issued new targets to employ some female staff in higher positions. However, some experts have stated that it will take at least 118 years to resolve the gender pay gap.
Ann Francke, chief executive of the Chartered Management Institute, said that while targets to reduce the pay gap were welcome, a change in culture was also needed. She said: "The notion which is often put forward that 'it's fine because we solved the gender pay gap at the low levels and it will go away' is actually flawed.
“I can tell you that in 2005 the pay gap for senior women was less than it is today".
"The reasons for that are cultural. It's about the culture of success, about how we define who is successful, it's about this long hours presenteeism rather than designing work around the modern lifestyle."
Confederation of British Industry director Neil Carberry said that closing the pay gap was not only "the right thing to" but also had "commercial upsides". He said: "From a labour market point of view the fact that we have a gender pay gap is a sign of an inefficiency, by definition and therefore resolving it is commercially important to our members.”
If you believe you are underpaid or if you have been discriminated against as a result of your gender, you could be entitled to take legal action. To find out how our team of solicitors can help, contact us today using our online contact form.
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