Louisa Piatti and Joan Hobbins who represented the MAUT librarian’s section attended the pay equity presentation (in French).
The pay equity law has been put in place to address the salary gap between men and women. According to this legislation, employers who are covered by this Act (those who have 10 or more employees), have until Nov 21,2001 to determine whether adjustments in compensation are necessary, or have set up a Pay Equity Plan. The differences in compensation must be rectified by Nov 21 2005.
Organizations with more than 100 employees MUST set up a pay equity plan
and a pay equity committee.
1. Identify the predominantly female and male job classes
2. Select a job class evaluation method and procedure
3. Evaluate and compare the various job classes; estimate differences in compensation; calculate adjustments in compensation
4. Present the terms and conditions of payment of compensation adjustments.
Employers must establish a single plan covering the unionized and non-unionized employees. At the request of a certified association, the employer MUST establish a separate plan, with a separate pay equity committee, for unionized staff.
The Committee must be made up of at least three members, 1/3 of whom represent the employer and the remaining 2/3rds represent the employees. 50%of the employees sitting on the Committee must be women.
A major part of this process is that once steps two and four are completed the results must be posted in visible locations that are accessible to all.
After the notices are put up, employees have 60 days to present their comments to the Committee. The Committee then has another 30 days to respond to the concerns brought to their attention.
If there are issues that the Committee cannot resolve, they can be presented to the Commission de l’equite salariale
When differences in compensation exist, the employers must start paying the adjustments in compensation by November 21, 2001 at the latest.
Adjustments are not retroactive.
If the payments are spread over time, then annual equal payments must be made over a maximum period of four years until Nov 21, 2005.
If the employer cannot pay within the prescribed time limits, the Commission may authorize payments to be spread over an additional three years.
Once all of this is done, the employer is obliged to maintain pay equity in the organization.
Louisa Piatti