- Like work: The same, or broadly similar, work where any differences aren’t of practical importance.
- Work rated as equivalent: Work that could be different in nature, but a job evaluation scheme rated as being of equal value.
- Work of equal value: Different work but of equal value in terms of factors like effort, skill and decision-making.
Asda’s mission statement, Save Money, Live Better, took on a new meaning after 9500+ female employees' claim that the supermarket giant is in breach of equal pay laws.
The argument
Most of the female claimants work in-store on checkouts or stacking shelves. They’re arguing for the same rate of pay as employees in the male-dominated Asda distribution centres, who earn £1-£3 more per hour.
In addition, they argue that their gender is the only clear reason that Asda pays them less. If found true, it breaches the Equality Act 2010 because it’s unlawful for men and women doing the same job to get different pay.
The same job
The male employees at the distribution centres do have a different role to their female counterparts; serving customers is far different to supplying stock on time to stores. But this doesn’t defeat the pay argument.
Males and females can do different jobs that are still comparable enough to get equal pay. To do so, the roles fall into one of three categories: