Equal Pay Fund launches to fight wage discrimination
Melanie May | 14 November 2018 | News
The Fawcett Society has teamed up with employment law charity YESS Law to launch a new Equal Pay Advice Service, funded by a newly created Equal Pay Fund, to help fight wage discrimination.
The fund has been started through a donation of backdated pay from former BBC China Editor Carrie Gracie.
Launched on the eve of Equal Pay Day on Saturday 10 November, the day in the year when women effectively start to work for free, the service will be targeted at those on low incomes who believe they are experiencing pay discrimination and who do not have access to legal advice, enabling them to resolve the situation with their employer.
A fundraising drive has also launched on GoFundMe with the Fawcett Society and YESS Law asking people to donate to the new fund and help fight wage discrimination for women on low incomes.
Sam Smethers, Fawcett Society Chief Executive, said:
“In workplaces all over the country, pay discrimination is able to thrive and is more common than people realise because of a culture of pay secrecy which persists. People do not know their basic rights and do not know what their colleagues earn.”
“We are asking you to talk about pay at work, share news about the Fund with #GetEqual on #EqualPayDay and donate to support via our GoFundMe page. With your help we can ensure many more women have access to justice and get equal pay.”
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About Melanie May
Melanie May is a journalist and copywriter specialising in writing both for and about the charity and marketing services sectors since 2001. She can be reached via thepurplepim.com.