Research carried out by the Trades Union Congress (TUC) has suggested that the gender pay gap means women effectively work for free for the first 48 days of the year.
The business group found that in some industries and regions where the gender pay gap is wider, women effectively work for free for even longer.
It stated that the government’s Employment Rights Bill will help close the gap by making employers with over 250 employees outline their plans for reducing the pay gap.
The TUC also said that the Employment Rights Bill will be a ‘huge boost’ for working women due to the introduction of a right to sick pay from day one and banning zero-hours contracts that disproportionally affect women.
Paul Nowak, General Secretary of the TUC, said: ‘Everyone should be paid fairly for the job that they do.
‘But working women are still waiting for pay parity.
‘The Employment Rights Bill can help to close the gender pay gap by banning exploitative practices like zero-hours contracts that hit women the hardest.’
05/03/2025
View all >
17/11/2025
Budget choices will determine UK’s growth
Chancellor Rachel Reeves must use the Autumn Budget to make the bold decisions necessary to get the economy firing, says the Confederation of British Industry (CBI).
READ MORE
Self-employed overcounted for decades
Official statistics have overstated the size of the UK’s self-employed population for two decades, according to the Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS).
AI will shrink headcount
One in six employers expect AI to shrink their workforce over the next year, with junior roles most at risk, according to the CIPD.
Sign up to keep in touch to receive our latest news and industry updates.
* *
Yes, I would like to receive email updates providing me with the latest finance news, advice guides and details of future events.