Equal pay for equal work

“Paying men and women differently for performing the same work or work of equal value is illegal,” noted Ms Ruggier during a webinar organised by the Malta Business Bureau. She continued by saying that “there is no guarantee that pay transparency will enforce the principle of equal pay for equal work or work of equal value.”

Ms Fabianne Ruggier, Executive Consultant at RSM Malta, sponsors of The Malta Chamber HR and Talent Thematic Committee weighed in on the importance of reducing the gender pay gap while fighting to end pay discrimination. This was discussed during a webinar organised by the Malta Business Bureau with the aim of providing more insight on a proposal published by the European Commission regarding an EU Directive on Pay Transparency.

Addressing attendees, Ms Ruggier noted that The Malta Chamber supports the commitments the Commission has made on several issues both in the gender equality strategy and in the action plan on the European Pillar of Social Rights. In particular, the target for reducing the gender employment gap, the revision of the Barcelona targets on childcare and the campaign to combat gender stereotypes were all regarded to be fundamental components within this startegy.

Fabianne also emphasised that the principle of equal pay for equal work or work of equal value is also difficult to apply across sectors and even within companies. “This is even more difficult where there is a scarcity of a particular gender as a comparator in the same job category, which can be common in some sectors in particular,” she said. With this in mind, a case by case method should be the way forward to ensure that a personalised approach with regards to such a delicate subject.