Blog
Close the Gap assessment reveals significant regression in public authorities' compliance with the public sector equality duty
Close the Gap completed its second assessment of public authorities’ compliance with the gender and employment requirements of the public sector equality duty. By 30 April 2015 listed public authorities were required to publish:
New statistics show slight decrease in overall gender pay gap but rise in part-time figure
Close the Gap has calculated the difference in pay between women and men working in Scotland using the latest Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings (ASHE) tables released from the Office of National Statistics this morning.
Fairer Scotland: Employment Support Focus Group
In partnership with Engender, we are holding a discussion session for women who have used employment support services.
Women still more likely than men to earn less than the living wage
Last week the Office of National Statistics released data on the number of people earning less than the living wage in the UK using the 2014 ASHE findings. The living wage is an hourly rate that is independently calculated to reflect the basic cost of living in the UK. The figures showed that almost a fifth of Scotland’s workforce (19 per cent) are paid less than the living wage.
EVENTS: SCOTLAND & UK WIDE
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Flexible Working Week
This week is ‘Flexible working week’ in the UK but many businesses across Scotland are still missing out on the benefits that flexibility can bring to their organisations.
August Newsround
Here we round up all the news about women in the labour market, and all things related. This month’s stories cover older women in the workplace, the university gender gap, the Think Business Think Equality launch and more.
Think Business, Think Equality launch at The Lighthouse
Last Friday we launched our Think Business, Think Equality tool and accompanying short films at The Lighthouse in Glasgow. The free, online tool allows small and medium businesses to self-assess their business practice by taking one or more of five short tests based on specific themes: flexible working, workplace culture, pay and reward, progression and promotion, and the different jobs that women and men tend to do. On completion of each test you receive a report based on your answers, and a personalised action plan for your business which details simple changes you can make to your workplace practice that are good for your people and for your business as a whole. You can also access more detailed information on each topic with free downloadable guidance, allowing you to tailor your approach as much as you like.
EVENTS: SCOTLAND AND UK WIDE
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Think Business, Think Equality launch event
Close the Gap is launching its Think Business, Think Equality online self-assessment tool which is designed specifically for small and medium businesses and organisations.
JULY NEWSROUND
Close the Gap’s Newsround is back after a short break. Here we round up all the news about women in the labour market, and all things related. This month’s stories cover welfare reform, publishing gender pay gaps, rising maternity discrimination and more.
EVENTS: SCOTLAND AND UK WIDE
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Move to gender pay gap reporting in the private sector is welcome but inadequate
David Cameron recently announced legislation that will require larger companies to publish their gender pay gap figure. Given that 45 years has passed since the equal pay act was introduced, this is to be welcomed. But the publishing of pay gaps alone will not realise David Cameron’s ambition to “end the gender pay gap within a generation”. What it is, though, is a small step towards addressing the disadvantage that women face at work every day.
Scotland is not 'lagging behind the rest of the UK' on the gender pay gap
Reports today that the gender pay gap in Scotland has increased, unlike in the rest of the UK, show why statistics matter.
Exploring the use of positive action
The Forum for Research into Equality and Diversity, based at the University of Chester, are currently undertaking research into the use of positive action in the UK. The research intends to explore the use of the positive action provisions within the Equality Act 2010 by public sector employers in Scotland, England and Wales.
Making Manufacturing Work for Women research launch event
Radisson Blu, 80 High Street, Royal Mile, Edinburgh, EH1 1TH
Close the Gap commissioned University of Strathclyde to undertake research into women and manufacturing. This event will present and discuss the findings of new research which maps women’s participation in the manufacturing cluster labour market in Scotland to identify patterns of occupational segregation, gendered skills pipelines, and gender difference in participation in related Modern Apprenticeship frameworks. The research also examines the impact of women’s participation on pay, and on the gender pay gap within the sector.
Shared Parental Leave
On the 5th of April 2015 new shared parental leave regulations came into force across the UK, which enables parents to share leave over the course of a year following the birth or adoption of a child. Parents can share up to 50 weeks of parental leave, by either taking time off together or separately.
EVENTS: SCOTLAND AND UK WIDE
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EVENTS: SCOTLAND AND UK WIDE
In this post you will find a selection of up and coming events and programmes relating to gender equality and women's participation in the labour market.
Looking to the Future: Race and equal pay - Friday 8 May 2015
STUC, 333 Woodlands Road, Glasgow, G3 6NG
Close the Gap and CEMVO are holding a half-day seminar for public authorities to support them in mainstreaming their equalities work on employment under the public sector equality duty. The aim is to provide a specific focus on race and equal pay, as public authorities prepare for publishing equal pay statements on race, including occupational segregation information, in 2017.
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