11.4 Adopt a salary equity policy with mechanisms for analysis and redress
Content
Description of Best Practices
Ensure salary equity policy explicitly addresses the following areas:
- Salary discrimination within a job category. For example, “Engineer 1”: A male and a female both with master’s degrees in engineering and 5 years’ experience being paid differently
- Salary discrimination between job categories, such as having two job titles, “Office Manager” and “Field Office Manager,” with the same responsibilities, but “Office Manager” is paid less and held mostly by women or people from traditionally socially excluded groups
- In the hiring and promotions processes, do not ask or use prior salary to determine current salary
Challenges of Implementation
Funds may not be available to close identified pay gaps
Union contracts may require amendment during upcoming contract negotiation cycle
There is a perception of bias by groups whose salary is unchanged
Potential legal action is taken by the group previously paid less
What Success Looks Like
Company adopts and enforces salary equity
Company closes salary gaps in both areas
Men and women are paid equitably
Resources and Tools
Guide: Integrating Gender into Workplace Policies (USAID)
Report/Study: A Comparative Analysis of Promoting Pay Equity: Models and Impacts (ILO)
Report/Study: Pay Equity: A Key Driver of Gender Equality (ILO)