Coalition to stick with Labour's Equality Act

　　

　　The home secretary had expressed doubts about the laws in opposition The government is pressing ahead with Labour legislation which could require employers to disclose whether they pay women as much as men.

　　Home Secretary Theresa May said the Equality Act, passed in April, would be implemented next October.

　　Mrs May, who is also Equalities Minister, said it would make it easier for firms to comply with anti-discrimination rules.

　　Business group the CBI said the act should not become law without changes.

　　It said the government should have taken the opportunity to drop provisions requiring firms to conduct a "gender pay audit" where there was "evidence of unfairness".

　　Drawing nine separate pieces of legislation into a single act, it was passed on 8 April but has not yet become law.

　　Among its measures, it imposes a new duty on public bodies - like education authorities and health trusts - to consider reducing socio-economic inequalities, for example with policies preventing poorer children from missing out on places at the best schools.

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　　The Equality Act will help businesses treat staff fairly and meet the needs of a diverse customer base

　　Theresa May Home Secretary

　　It also stops employers using pay secrecy clauses to prevent employees discussing their own pay, bans age discrimination by employers and includes provisions aimed at extending the rights of disabled people.

　　In opposition as shadow minister for women, Mrs May had expressed fears that many of the act's clauses would be too bureaucratic and expensive.

　　However, she now insists the act demonstrates the coalition government's commitment to equality.

　　"By making the law easier to understand, the Equality Act will help businesses treat staff fairly and meet the needs of a diverse customer base," she said.

　　"The law will be easier to understand and better able to protect people from discrimination.

　　"A successful economy needs the full participation of all its citizens and we are committed to implementing the Act in the best way for business."

　　'Misleading'

　　Trevor Phillips, the chair of the Equality and Human Rights Commission, welcomed the speed with which the government had moved to implement the legislation.

　　"The Equality Act will make Britain a fairer country for all," he said.

　　However, CBI director of human resources policy Katja Hall said the company audit measure was likely to be misleading.

　　"Forcing companies to publish average salary figures for men and women could mislead people into thinking that women are paid less than men in the same role, which is rightly illegal, when differences will actually reflect the proportions of men and women in higher-paid jobs," she said.

　　"The policy is also likely to backfire. Companies that have too few women in higher paid roles, and are trying to attract more, would be forced to publish a statistic that could deter female applicants and compound the problem."

　　Some shipping companies have complained that the laws will force them to quit the UK because they would have to pay UK rates to foreign-based seafarers who do not have the burden of British living costs.