Equal pay audits

The government has published a second consultation on equal pay audits, which looks further at the details of equal pay audits and includes the likely contents of forthcoming legislation.

Under the legislation —expected to come into force in 2014 — employment tribunals will be able to enforce civil penalties of up to £5,000 for non-compliance with an equal pay order.

Micro-businesses with fewer than 10 employees and start-ups will initially not be affected by these plans.

The outcome of the first consultation was to limit the ability of employment tribunals to order equal pay audits only if an employer has been found in clear breach of equal pay law.

https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/equal-pay-audits-a-further-consultation