Northern Ireland impasse
The lack of a functioning Executive in Northern Ireland means the Employment Act (NI) 2016, which provides for the making of the Gender Pay Reporting Regulations, has yet to be enacted.
Dr Michael Wardlow, chief commissioner of the Equality Commission for Northern Ireland said it was “imperative that these regulations are brought forward ... as a matter of urgency”.
“This legislation will eventually lead to greater transparency by requiring employers in Northern Ireland to publish information showing whether pay disparities exist in their workforce and if they do, employers will be required to publish an action plan to eliminate any gender pay differences. This must be welcomed as a step towards ensuring more equal workplaces”, he said.