UCEA has developed a comprehensive toolkit of resources on the gender pay gap.
The significant precedent came from the ECJ ruling in 2006 in Cadman v Health and Safety Executive. The ruling was not entirely straightforward but this UCEA Update explains why it is important to review pay grades that are longer than six incremental points (five years' service) and provides advice on the design of pay structures in this context.
Incremental pay scales and sex discrimination
Often the gender pay gap is mistakenly equated with equal pay. UCEA has therefore produced a series of infographics titled 'Examining the gender pay gap in Higher Education'.
The aim of these infographics is to explain and examine gender pay gap issues in HE and the two pages cover eight individual infographics which ask key questions and contain images and data to respond accordingly. They use information and data from the latest official earnings data published by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) and HESA data and also draw on joint UCEA and HE trade union sector-level work.
The infographics and an accompanying Briefing document can be found on the infographics page.
UCEA has done several joint pieces of research on Equal Pay and the Gender Pay Gap with the sector trade unions (JNCHES). The most recent report, published in September 2016, is available to download here:
New JNCHES Higher Education gender pay gap data
This report included recommendations to publish five sector gender pay gap metrics annually to assist with monitoring progress. The updated metrics, which have been agreed with UCEA members, can be explored through this interactive Tableau interface.
Some of our earlier work on gender pay is also available to download:
Gender Pay Working Group Report
Equal Pay Review survey results
The Gender Pay Gap - A Literature Review
Results of the 2013 survey of equal pay reviews
New JNCHES Equality Working Group - Overview Report
Joint UCEA JNCHES guidance on conducting equal pay reviews
There are strict requirements set out within the specific duties of the public sector equality duty of the Equality Act for England, Wales and Scotland regarding the reporting of Gender Pay Gap data. The relevant regulations are:
In addition, HE institutions are strongly encouraged to review and analyse their gender pay gap data with a view to taking steps to improve this; in Wales an action plan is mandatory.
The New JNCHES Equal Pay Reviews Guidance for Higher Education Institutions is currently being updated and revised in conjunction with the trade unions, with publication expected by late 2017. UCEA will inform members as soon as it is available.
Page last updated December 2017