CAN I ASK ABOUT PAY?

QI work in a call centre where a male colleague told me his pay. I was shocked to hear he gets more than me. We want to campaign for equal pay but how can we find out what others are earning? Esther, Wiltshire

Alys says

If you and male colleagues are doing the same work or work of equal value, you should get equal pay. Under the Equality Act 2010 it is unlawful for employers to prevent staff from talking with each other to establish if there are differences in pay. So you can ask colleagues about pay, they are entitled to tell you and neither of you can be punished by a boss for doing so.

However, this doesn’t mean your colleagues have to tell you. It would be a decision for the individual and can be a delicate subject. There used to be a statutory equal pay questionnaire procedure, under which employers were required to respond to questions seeking information on equal pay, but this was repealed on April 6, 2014.

If you were employed before then and believe there were equal pay breaches prior to April 2014 then the old process may apply.

Otherwise there is now a voluntary process for asking an employer questions about equal pay. Get guidance on the ACAS website.