UK Rights Body Pushes for Legal Right to See Colleague Pay

Workers in the United Kingdom could gain a legal right to inspect the earnings of their colleagues under a new proposal from the national human rights watchdog. The Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) submitted these recommendations in response to government plans to revise equal pay laws. The body argues that transparency is the most effective tool to stop pay discrimination, particularly against women.

The push for openness follows a history of shifting rules on pay disclosure. A right to request information about colleagues' salaries existed in the UK until 2014. The government abolished that provision at the time to reduce bureaucratic burdens on businesses. Ministers are now weighing a new measure that would force employers to respond to formal staff questionnaires regarding pay structures.

Under the EHRC plan, employees could submit forms requesting specific details about a coworker performing similar duties. This data would include annual salary, hours worked, bonuses, overtime rates, and job descriptions. Workers could also access records of any job evaluations their employer conducted. These records would cover job grades, salary benchmarks, internal scores, and final evaluation documents.

The proposal goes beyond individual comparisons. Employees would be able to request a ranking of every person on a comparable team based on annual basic pay and hours worked. If a worker believes the data provided is inaccurate or incomplete, they would have the right to press their employer for further information. The commission insists that employers must answer these requests within a specified timeframe.

The EHRC warned that without a mandatory deadline, employers might delay responses or provide evasive answers. The watchdog suggested this requirement should be a mandatory measure rather than an optional one to meet the policy aims of the current consultation. The commission also wants to ban employers from asking job applicants about their current salaries during the recruitment process. Companies may currently request this information, though candidates are not legally obliged to answer.

The commission argues that improved transparency will help companies avoid employment tribunals and lead to the early resolution of pay disputes. It also points to the persistent gender pay gap as a reason for action. According to the Office for National Statistics, the median gender pay gap as of April showed women in full-time work earning 6.8% less on average than men. In the finance industry, the mean and median pay gaps stand at 24% and 22% respectively, double the national average.

The EHRC stated that preventing employers from asking about salary history, alongside the proposed transparency measures, will likely reduce pay gaps and discrimination against women. The commission is waiting for the government to finalize its approach to equal pay laws before these changes can take effect.