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Businesses have ‘nothing to fear’ from Equality Bill, claims NorthgateArinso

launches Equal Pay Health Check to help companies avoid ‘accidental discrimination’

May 11, 2009

The demands of the new Equality Bill shouldn’t cause panic and fear of litigation, despite recent claims by industry bodies, according to NorthgateArinso’s reward specialists.

Tim Medcalf, consultant at NorthgateArinso Reward Solutions, has been monitoring the Bill closely since its inception and believes that panic about the costs involved with implementing the demands of the Bill have been over-hyped.

To help companies meet the expected demands of the Equality Bill, the HR solutions supplier has launched Equal Pay Health Check – a reporting tool that will measure the gender pay gap in an organisation from a number of angles, highlight potential causes and assess the overall level of risk. The reports are carried out in one day, and based on the results NorthgateArinso’s consultants can advise on the best way to handle any potential pay discrepancies.

The Equality Bill receives its second reading in Parliament on Monday, May 11. It will call for greater transparency in the Public Sector, as well as in those Private Sector firms supplying the Public Sector. By 2013, it will require all organisations with more than 250 employees to report on the gender pay gap.

Executive quote

“It’s vital that the UK’s gender pay gap is addressed, and the Equality Bill is an essential part of achieving this,” commented Medcalf. “Critics of the Bill seem to have forgotten this. In short, there’s nothing to fear for companies who are prepared.”

“Gender pay differences are rarely deliberate – in a large organisation it can be incredibly difficult to monitor like-for-like pay across different departments and accidental discrimination can easily happen,” Medcalf continued. “What’s essential is that organisations know what’s going on within their payroll and, once they have the data, are prepared to tackle any discrepancies.”

“Audits are looking increasingly likely, and companies have to be ready for this,” continued Medcalf. “In a large organisation the problem is how to go about ensuring you are addressing any pay equality issues before the auditors arrive, without spending a huge amount of time and money on it. As transparency becomes the law, we would recommend that organisations look to address potential issues immediately, so that they don’t get caught out.”

About the company

About NorthgateArinso
NorthgateArinso, the HR division of Northgate Information Solutions, was created in 2007 following the acquisition of ARINSO International, thus creating a merged entity with more than half a century of combined HR expertise.
NorthgateArinso is a leading global Human Resources software and services provider offering innovative HR business solutions to employers of all sizes, including Global Fortune™ 500 companies and many public sector organisations.
Our vision is simple: we want to be the trusted partner of HR decision makers for improving HR service delivery through smarter processes and more efficient technologies. We help HR executives optimize their HR service delivery through smarter process and more efficient technology, supporting key HR areas like workforce administration, payroll, benefits, recruitment, learning, and talent management.
NorthgateArinso’s 4,500 employees are dedicated to HR excellence through strategic business consulting, best-of-breed software solutions, outsourcing services and systems integration. NorthgateArinso has offices in 32 countries on 5 continents.
www.northgatearinso-reward.com

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Ellen Spenceley or Lisa Gillingham at LEWIS

Tel: +44 (0) 117 315 8584
Email: northgatearinsouk@lewispr.com

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Businesses have ‘nothing to fear’ from Equality Bill, claims NorthgateArinso

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