Department for Education Discloses Gender Pay Gap Information

The DfE becomes the first Government department to publish its gender pay gap and bonus pay gap, setting an example to other employers on promoting gender equality in the workplace.

The pay gap between men and women working at the DfE is 5.9%.

The Gender Pay Gap Regulations came into force in April 2017.  Employers with more than 250 or more employees will have to publish their first gender pay information report on or before 4 April 2018 and then annually, on or before 4 April each year (for public sector employers the date is 30 March 2018 and then annually, on or before 30 March each year).

The information to be published is:

• the difference between the mean and median hourly rates of pay of relevant male and female employees;
• the difference between the mean and median bonus paid to relevant male and female employees;
• the proportions of relevant male and female employees who were paid bonus pay, and;
• the proportions of relevant male and female employees in the lower, lower middle, upper middle and upper quartile pay bands.

A “relevant employee” is a person employed by the employer on the “snapshot” date of 5 April for private employers and 31 March for public sector employers.

The information must be published on the employer’s website so that it can be viewed by employees and the public. It must also include a written statement confirming the information is accurate which must be signed by a director or someone equivalent.

Failure to comply with the Regulations will constitute an “unlawful act” under the Equality Act 2010 and the Equality and Human Rights Commission can take enforcement action.