Workers should be able to know colleagues' salaries, rights body says

The UK's Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) argues that employees should have the right to know their colleagues' salaries. The watchdog proposes that employers should be required to provide information about colleagues' pay, including basic pay, hours worked, comparisons between employees' pay, and details about bonuses, overtime, and performance-related pay.

This information should be made available within a specific timeframe to help reduce pay discrimination, particularly against women. John Kirkpatrick, the EHRC's chief executive, contends that requesting salary history during job offers can perpetuate historical discrimination and disadvantage. He emphasizes that while employers can offer competitive salaries, they should not contribute to patterns of discrimination.

The Fawcett Society, which advocates for women and gender equality, has also expressed concerns that salary history inquiries risk maintaining unfair differences in pay based on gender, race, and disability. Instead of rewarding individuals based on perceived worth and negotiating skills, employers should offer salaries based on skills, experience, and performance.