Legislation would compel employers of more than 250 workers to reveal disability and ethnicity pay gaps
Ministers have been urged to pass legislation that would protect whistleblowers who expose employers who flout forthcoming UK diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) laws.
The equality (race and disability) bill, which the equalities minister Seema Malhotra has described as part of the government’s “absolute” commitment to DEI, is expected to be published this year.
As law, the bill would compel employers with more than 250 staff to reveal whether white and non-disabled staff are paid more than Black, minority ethnic and disabled employees, in the same way that employers have to report gender pay gaps.
It is also expected to establish an equal pay regulatory and enforcement unit to prevent pay discrimination and could compel employers to produce action plans on what they are doing to improve equality.
Responses to the consultation, which is being used to shape the bill and closed in June, include proposals that legislation protects whistleblowers who report employers hiding pay gap information.
The proposal is in stark contrast to what is unfolding in the US, where under Donald Trump’s presidency, officials have urged “private parties” to help them identify “illegal” DEI programmes, including financial incentives for those who file whistleblower claims against federal contractors trying to tackle racial inequality.
The UK whistleblower proposal has been made by the Black...
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