Govt will consider new equal pay law

The Government will consider proposed new legislation to allow employees to ask whether they are being paid the same as their colleagues.

The Equal Employment Opportunities Commissioner Judy McGregor's proposed pay equity bill would remove an employer's ability to keep salaries secret.

The bill is yet to be introduced to Parliament but Prime Minister John Key told TV ONE's Breakfast it would be given proper attention, despite there already being laws to prevent pay inequality.

"In New Zealand we have two pieces of legislation that cover this area, the equal pay act and human rights law," he said.

"The equal pay act says it is against the law to discriminate on the basis of gender."

However, Key warned that the disclosure of pay details could create new problems in the workplace.

"What you've got to be careful of is unintended consequences and privacy issues so in a very small work place you could see how that could create real tension," he said.

"There can be a number of reasons why people are paid at different rates."

McGregor told Breakfast she was pleased the Government would give consideration to the issue, which has been given a lot of media attention recently following comments made by the head of the EMA about women taking time off for their periods.

"One of the positive aspects of the Alasdair Thompson comments is it's put equal pay debate back on the map," she said.

However she dismissed Key's concerns about whether the right to ask about personal pay would lead to added workplace tension or privacy issues.

"I don't think there would be unintended consequences around privacy because at the end of the day it's your personal right to go to the employer and ask about equal pay, you're not asking about anyone else you're just asking about yourself.

"I think thousands of New Zealand workplaces are equal pay workplaces so it won't apply to them," she said.

Read more about the draft Pay Equality Bill here  

The Greens, Maori and Labour parties have all thrown their weight behind the Bill.

Source:  TVNZ