Skip to content

Client Update: Pay equity legislation announced for federally regulated employers

Julia Parent and Graham Haynes

On October 29, 2018, the federal government tabled national pay equity legislation as part of its second budget implementation bill, Bill C-86. This legislation is targeted at reducing the portion of the gender wage gap which is caused by the undervaluation of work traditionally done by women.

Application

The Act, entitled An Act to Establish a Proactive Pay Equity Regime within the Federal Public and Private Sectors (Pay Equity Act) (the “Act”) applies to all federally regulated employers with 10 or more employees, including the federal public service, the federal private sector (i.e. banks, telecommunication companies, marine shipping companies, interprovincial and international transportation companies and others) and the Prime Minister and ministers’ offices.

It is worth noting that the requirements imposed under the Act are different for small employers (defined as those with 10 to 99 employees) and large employers (defined as those with 100 employees or more).

Obligations for employers

Development of a pay equity plan

The Act requires employers to develop a comprehensive pay equity plan within three years of becoming subject to the Act. The pay equity plan must, among other things, identify job classes and their gender predominance in the workplace, analyze the value of the job classes within the workplace and identify where imbalances exist between female and male predominant job classes of equal value.

Compensation equalization

If an employer’s pay equity plan identifies imbalances in a female-predominant job class when compared to male-predominant job classes of equal value, employers will have to phase-in compensation increases which equalize the compensation paid to the female-predominant job class. This may apply to more than one female-predominant job class. If the total equalization amount is at least one percent of the employer’s annual payroll, the employer will have to implement compensation increases. The number of years the entity will have to equalize payment is based on the size of the employer.

Other obligations

The Act also imposes other responsibilities on employers such as providing information to employees regarding dispute resolution procedures, updating the pay equity plan every five years and submitting a short annual statement regarding oversight of the program.

Enforcement

The Act contemplates the appointment of a Pay Equity Commissioner and the creation of a Pay Equity Unit of the Canadian Human Rights Commission which would administer and enforce the Act through a range of compliance and enforcement tools including monetary penalties.

Further information

This update is intended for general information only. If you have questions about the above information, and how it applies to your specific situation, please contact a member of the Stewart McKelvey Labour and Employment group.

SHARE

Archive

Search Archive


 
 

The Winds of Change (Part 5): Atlantic Canada poised to benefit from clean energy tax credits

November 10, 2022

By Jim Cruikshank, Graham Haynes, and Dave Randell On November 3, 2022, the Honourable Chrystia Freeland delivered the Federal Government’s Fall Economic Statement (“FES”).  The FES included a number of tax related announcements, including further…

Read More

“Constructive Taking”: Consequences for municipalities from the Supreme Court of Canada decision in Annapolis Group Inc. v. Halifax Regional Municipality

November 10, 2022

By Stephen Penney, Joe Thorne, and Giles Ayers A new decision from the Supreme Court of Canada, Annapolis Group Inc. v. Halifax Regional Municipality, 2022 SCC 36 (“Annapolis”), has changed the law of constructive expropriation across the…

Read More

Attract & Retain: Nova Scotia taps foreign healthcare workers to fill labour shortages

November 10, 2022

As part our presenting sponsorship of the Halifax Chamber of Commerce’s Annual Fall Dinner, we are pleased to present a series of thought leadership articles highlighting the dinner’s themes of immigration, recruitment, and labour market…

Read More

The rise of remote work and Canadian immigration considerations

November 3, 2022

As part our presenting sponsorship of the Halifax Chamber of Commerce’s Annual Fall Dinner, we are pleased to present a series of thought leadership articles highlighting the dinner’s themes of immigration, recruitment, and labour market…

Read More

The future of express entry: Targeted draws to meet Canada’s economic needs

November 2, 2022

By Sara Espinal Henao Since its initial launch in January 2015, Express Entry has been a pillar of Canada’s immigration system. Recently passed amendments to the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act (IRPA) promise to drive…

Read More

Filling labour gaps with foreign workers: What Canadian employers need to know

October 28, 2022

By Brittany Trafford It is no secret that employers in Atlantic Canada are struggling to fill labour gaps. In June 2019 the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency (ACOA) published a report[1] indicating that the overall labour…

Read More

Updated employer compliance requirements for employers of foreign workers

October 26, 2022

This article was updated on May 4, 2023. By Brendan Sheridan The Government of Canada has recently taken steps to further protect foreign workers employed in Canada. These efforts by the government have, in some…

Read More

Nova Scotia setting legislative framework for green hydrogen

October 24, 2022

Sadira Jan, Dave Randell, and James Gamblin On October 17, 2022, the Government of Nova Scotia tabled bills that would amend four pieces of legislation in support of future green hydrogen development. The intended impacts…

Read More

Newfoundland and Labrador Introduces Pay Equity & Transparency Law

October 20, 2022

By Ruth Trask  and Josh Merrigan Pay equity is an increasing focus for governments and advocates in the employment world, which means that employers must also pay attention. The Government of Newfoundland and Labrador has…

Read More

Upcoming changes for international students in Canada

October 12, 2022

By Kathleen Leighton Canada is facing considerable labour shortages resulting from a myriad of factors including its aging population and declining birth rates. As a result, our immigration strategy going forward must help drive the…

Read More

Search Archive


Scroll To Top