Mind the Gap – Mrs Wilcock
On the 18th November 2021 it will be ‘Equal Pay Day’ in the UK, which sounds like something positive and worth celebrating right? WRONG!
Equal Pay Day is calculated each year by The Fawcett Society, a charity that campaigns for equality, and marks the day upon which women effectively, on average, stop earning relative to men because of the gender pay gap.
The gender pay gap is the difference between the average pay of men and women within a particular group or population. Fawcett calculate the gender pay gap for Equal Pay Day this year is 11.9%, an increase from 10.6% last year.
The Fawcett Society suggest that this year younger women in particular are facing a rising gender pay gap. The pandemic has had a tough and disproportionate impact on women, in particular women of colour, disabled women and mothers. And now in addition to this, a widening gender pay gap paints a worrying picture. The Fawcett Society is calling upon the Government to take bold action, from improving childcare provision, making flexible working available to everyone, and tackling the rising cost of living. Every organisation that employs more than 250 people is now legally required to publish their gender pay gap which helps to highlight the issue.
It has been illegal for 45 years to pay different wages for equal work, and yet the injustice of the gender pay gap persists. This week, take a moment to consider ‘Equal Pay Day’ and how it could impact your future – does it seems fair to be paid less for the same work based upon your gender?
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