Overview

This bill mandates that larger employers in England, Wales, and Scotland publicly disclose data on pay differences and employee representation across various protected characteristics (like gender, race, and disability). The goal is to promote transparency and address potential pay inequities.

Description

The Workforce Information Bill amends the Equality Act 2010. It requires employers with 250 or more employees (excluding specific organizations listed in Schedule 19 of the Equality Act 2010 and some government departments) to annually publish information about:

• Pay differences among employees based on protected characteristics.
• The total number and percentage of employees disclosing each protected characteristic.

The bill specifies that this data must be disaggregated for each protected characteristic. The Secretary of State will create regulations dictating the details of data collection, publication format, and timing (with a minimum interval of 12 months between publications). Failure to comply may result in fines or action by the Equality and Human Rights Commission.

Before creating these regulations, the Secretary of State must conduct a public consultation involving relevant organizations and groups.

Government Spending

The bill doesn't directly specify government spending figures. The cost will likely relate to the resources required for the Secretary of State to create and enforce regulations, as well as the potential costs associated with enforcement actions.

Groups Affected

• Employers with 250+ employees: They are required to collect, analyze, and publish the specified data, potentially incurring administrative costs and potentially facing fines for non-compliance.
• Employees: They may benefit from increased transparency regarding potential pay discrimination, though data privacy concerns might arise.
• Equality and Human Rights Commission: They will have enforcement responsibilities regarding the bill's provisions.
• Relevant organizations and groups involved in the consultation: They will participate in shaping the regulations and providing input into the implementation process.

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