Category: Employment Law, Taxation and Legislation for Contractors

The Trades Union Congress (TUC) has given a 'cautious welcome' to the government's commitment to close the gender pay gap, a move which could benefit freelance contractors.

It said a new approach to ensuring equal pay is "desperately needed", pointing out that the Equal Pay Act is now 40 years old.

The Conservative-Liberal Democrat coalition government must consult with employers and unions on any new measures, according to TUC general secretary Brendan Barber.

"While extending the right to request flexible working and promoting a system of flexible parental leave could bring positive changes to UK workplaces, the millions of employees set to benefit will not want to wait years before they get this new right," he said.

The government pointed out that the gender pay gap has declined since 1975 and the full-time mean difference is now 16.4 per cent.

Reasons behind the gap are complex, it said, and legislative and non-legislative measures will be needed to tackle the issue.

Posted by John Crawley