The Equal Pay Act
First introduced in 1970 and amended in 1984, the Equal Pay Act gives you the right to be paid as much as your male colleague if your job is the same or broadly similar. However, despite being in force for more than 30 years, women are still fighting an uphill battle. Women are still paid 17% less than their male counterparts.

The Equal Pay Act tends to cover indirect sex discrimination as well as direct discrimination. For instance, the fact that a woman is paid a lower hourly rate than a man because she works part-time and he works full-time is unlikely to be a good defence for your employer.

The Equal Pay Act applies to England, Wales and Scotland. Any claims have to be brought in an employment tribunal. Claims can be brought at any time during employment and within six months of leaving. If a claim is successful, the complainant will be entitled to:

• The same level of pay or benefits as his or her counterpart in future (if still in the same job).
• Back pay, representing the difference in pay (subject to a limit) with interest. That can be backdated for up to two years before the start of the proceedings.