Jan Tinetti: 'We need to ensure we're staying in line with international standards'
Large organisations in Aotearoa, New Zealand will be required to report their gender pay gap as the Labour government commits to launching a pay gap reporting system for organisations.
Initially, the legislation will apply to businesses with 250+ employees, around 900 companies, but after four years, it will apply to businesses with over 100 employees.
Minister for women Jan Tinetti highlighted countries such as Australia, Canada and the UK that have already introduced pay gap reporting, saying New Zealand needed to stay in line with international standards.
"We need to ensure we're staying in line with international standards to attract highly skilled women to New Zealand and do what's right as an inclusive and forward-thinking country," said Tinetti.
But with only three weeks of sitting parliament before the house rises for election campaigning, the undrafted legislation is unlikely to be brought in this term.
Around 200 companies have already signed up to voluntarily to report their gender pay gaps through the MindTheGap register which was launched by Dellwyn Stuart last year.
Associate minister for workplace relations, Priyanca Radhakrishnan said, “We’ll be engaging with them to learn from their experience and establish a universal model for reporting so there is consistency and guidance for employers and workers.”
Diversity expert Jo Cribb was quick to post on her LinkedIn profile. She wrote:
“After years of campaigning, it's heartening to see the government commit to pay gap reporting legislation. Addressing gender and ethnic pay gaps is something I hope is beyond politics. It is about fairness and equity. It's about the legacy we are leaving. Pay gaps are something our daughters and granddaughters should not have to contend with. Let's watch with interest as other parties announce their policies. Let's make pay gaps history.”
More to come.