40 years after the introduction of the Equal Pay Act and following the recent media coverage of the new Equality Act, gender issues still abound in the UK workplace. There are still discrepancies between what each gender is paid for like for like work, as evidenced by the recent triumph of the Birmingham Council workers at their equal pay tribunal.
However, recent research shows that employees in small firms are more likely to believe that men are treated more favourably than women. 19% of survey respondents working in firms with ten or fewer employees believed men were treated more favourably in the workplace than women: this figure was only 10% in larger firms.
Of the respondents, as many as a quarter believed that men are paid more than women and two fifths believe men are more likely to get promoted, despite legislation outlawing gender and other discrimination.
Employees can legally expect to be treated the same as employees of the opposite gender and assessed solely on their merits. They can also expect to be paid the same as opposite-sex employees for the same work, or work of the same value. An employment law solicitor should be your first port of call if you believe you are being treated unfavourably in the workplace as a result of your gender.