The clock is ticking on some Canadian companies to bring in rules on pay equity – but it’ll be a long time until it happens..Blacklock’s Reporter said Labour Minister Filomena Tassi said companies have until August 31, 2024 to draft equity plans, and up to five additional years to adjust wages for women in federally-regulated private sector companies..“We have to look at the bigger picture here,” said Tassi, who described the Pay Equity Act, passed in 2018, as ‘morally right.’.“There is no question the scale of work and magnitude of work of what we are undertaking here absolutely takes time. I would love to have seen this corrected overnight, but we must recognize this is complex. Sustainable, long-term change takes time to get it right.”.The labour department has put costs at $1.6 billion, but equity payments are not retroactive..“Women have participated in Canada’s workforce for many decades now and have been responsible for at least one-third of our country’s economic growth,” said Tassi..“But when it comes to the question of pay and compensation, there was a serious problem that needed to be addressed.”.The size of the wage gap between women and men in Canada has been estimated at 74¢ to 93¢ on the dollar..Statistics Canada in a 2019 report said the calculation was difficult since relatively higher pay in male-dominated industries like construction skewed figures, while women overall tended to work fewer hours..“In general the gender gap has narrowed over time,” said the StatsCan report, adding much of the current gap “was unexplained.”.“Wage inequality is complex,” Alison Hale, director of StatsCan’s labour data division, said in 2016 testimony at a Commons special committee on pay equity..“It requires analysis from a number of different perspectives.”.Hale said estimates of a 74¢ wage gap often cited by media were based on annual earnings, not hourly wages, and overlooked the fact men statistically work more hours than women – about 3.3 hours more per week on average – and are likelier to work full-time..Hale said differences in experience and seniority account for about 11% of the wage gap, with educational differences accounting for 4%..The Act applies to employers with 10 employees or more, like airlines, banks, grain mills, inter-provincial trucking companies, marine shippers, radio stations and railways..About 3,600 small businesses are affected with a combined payroll of 88,500, by official estimate..Dave Naylor is the News Editor of the Western Standard.,dnaylor@westernstandardonline.com,.Twitter.com/nobby7694
The clock is ticking on some Canadian companies to bring in rules on pay equity – but it’ll be a long time until it happens..Blacklock’s Reporter said Labour Minister Filomena Tassi said companies have until August 31, 2024 to draft equity plans, and up to five additional years to adjust wages for women in federally-regulated private sector companies..“We have to look at the bigger picture here,” said Tassi, who described the Pay Equity Act, passed in 2018, as ‘morally right.’.“There is no question the scale of work and magnitude of work of what we are undertaking here absolutely takes time. I would love to have seen this corrected overnight, but we must recognize this is complex. Sustainable, long-term change takes time to get it right.”.The labour department has put costs at $1.6 billion, but equity payments are not retroactive..“Women have participated in Canada’s workforce for many decades now and have been responsible for at least one-third of our country’s economic growth,” said Tassi..“But when it comes to the question of pay and compensation, there was a serious problem that needed to be addressed.”.The size of the wage gap between women and men in Canada has been estimated at 74¢ to 93¢ on the dollar..Statistics Canada in a 2019 report said the calculation was difficult since relatively higher pay in male-dominated industries like construction skewed figures, while women overall tended to work fewer hours..“In general the gender gap has narrowed over time,” said the StatsCan report, adding much of the current gap “was unexplained.”.“Wage inequality is complex,” Alison Hale, director of StatsCan’s labour data division, said in 2016 testimony at a Commons special committee on pay equity..“It requires analysis from a number of different perspectives.”.Hale said estimates of a 74¢ wage gap often cited by media were based on annual earnings, not hourly wages, and overlooked the fact men statistically work more hours than women – about 3.3 hours more per week on average – and are likelier to work full-time..Hale said differences in experience and seniority account for about 11% of the wage gap, with educational differences accounting for 4%..The Act applies to employers with 10 employees or more, like airlines, banks, grain mills, inter-provincial trucking companies, marine shippers, radio stations and railways..About 3,600 small businesses are affected with a combined payroll of 88,500, by official estimate..Dave Naylor is the News Editor of the Western Standard.,dnaylor@westernstandardonline.com,.Twitter.com/nobby7694
