Equal Pay for Substantially Same Work
Prohibition of unequal pay for work requiring equal skill, effort, and responsibility under similar conditions.
Definition
The Human Rights Act 1981 explicitly prohibits an employer from 'paying one employee at a rate of pay less than the rate of pay paid to another employee employed by him for substantially the same work, the performance of which requires equal education, skill, experience, effort and responsibility and which is performed under the same or substantially similar working conditions.' Exceptions are made for payments based on seniority, merit, or systems measuring earnings by quantity or quality of production or performance. This provision is central to ensuring pay equity and preventing wage discrimination based on protected characteristics.