Equality quango caught in sex and race pay gap
WHITE members of staff at the government quango set up to promote equality in the workplace earn almost £2,000 more a year than their non-white colleagues.
Figures also reveal that men at the Equalities and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) earn, on average, £450 more than women.
The EHRC, which is funded with more than £18.7million government cash, insisted people were paid the same wage for the same job regardless of race. It said the gap could be down to it being a small organisation, where a small number of senior staff could skew the averages.
A spokesman said: “The suggestion black and ethnic minority staff earn less than white staff at EHRC is completely disingenuous.we pay all of staff equal pay for equal work. It is the law and to suggest we don’t follow it is entirely inaccurate.”
The organisation, whose 158 staff are tasked with protecting the rights of women, ethnic minorities and disabled people, is headed by chief executive Rebecca Hilsenrath, who is paid £120,000 a year.
One of the EHRC’S main tasks is to provide audit information and advice to help ensure companies do not have glaring pay gaps between different groups.
Figures released under Freedom of Information Act legislation show the mean salary of a white employee at the organisation is £42,926.
The pay packets of black and ethnic minority employees are around four per cent smaller, with a mean salary of £41,019.
The average man at the quango is paid £42,943, while the average woman earns £42,491.
The salary discrepancies are widest between disabled staff, who have average salaries of £39,140, and their non-disabled colleagues, with average pay packets of £43,432.
In 2017 the EHRC brought out its own research document – The Ethnicity Pay Gap – that looked at rates of pay between different races.
The report said: “The ethnicity pay gap is a longstanding phenomenon. Previous research has shown that people from ethnic minorities tend to earn less, overall, than white people. This is often associated with social disadvantage and is arguably also caused by discrimination.
“New arrivals to the country may have a poor command of English, possess qualifications which are not generally recognised by employers and be unfamiliar with the UK’S culture – these factors affect pay.”
Conservative MP Philip Davies, said: “If the EHRC themselves cannot ensure there is no gender, race and disability pay gap at their own organisation, what on earth do they think gives them the right to lecture everyone else about it?”
However, the EHRC insisted: “We compare well with the national average and other public bodies in respect of the ethnicity and disability pay gap.
“We also carry out regular audits to ensure fairness.we are proud that numerous women hold senior positions in our organisation and of our zero per cent gender pay gap, which we have published for all to see.”