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Report of the Pay and Employment Equity Steering Group for the Period 1 August 2004 to 31 December 2005

Download pdf copy [PDF 196KB, 27 pages]

Published by the Department of Labour
Wellington, New Zealand

June 2006

ISBN 0-478-28043-2

Contact details: Pay and Employment Equity Unit, Department of Labour
phone (04) 931 6054, equity@dol.govt.nz, http://www.dol.govt.nz/services

Contents

Background

The tripartite Pay and Employment Equity Steering Group was established by Cabinet decision in 2004, following its consideration of the Report of the Taskforce on Pay and Employment Equity in the Public Service and Public Education and Health Sectors. Its key role is to provide leadership, guidance and external review of the Government’s Plan of Action.

This report covers progress in implementing the pay and employment plan of action for the period August 2004 to November 2005. Future reports will be for the calendar year.

The steering group comprises those with relevant expertise and experience from within their sectors and members were appointed by the Secretary of Labour.

The steering group comprises:

The Director of the Pay and Employment Equity Unit is an ex officio member of the steering group. The Secretary of Labour also attends meetings of the steering group at the request of the chair. From time to time the steering group may co-opt or seek the advice of key experts or stakeholders to assist them in their task.

The steering group’s confirmed terms of reference and governance arrangements are attached as Appendix 1.

The steering group has a term of five years and meets at least quarterly. In the period August 2004 to November 2005 the steering group met ten times.

Chair’s overview

The steering group’s first year has been a challenging one. Perhaps not surprisingly, contributing to the Government’s goal of “making steady and measurable progress towards achieving pay and employment equity” has proved to be an invigorating, frustrating and satisfying mix.

While real progress has been made on a range of fronts, some of it ground breaking, it has been slower than we wished. As expected, much remains to be done.

The steering group has been very conscious of the taskforce’s finding that understanding and communication about pay and employment equity are crucial for the success of the plan of action. While the steering group is just one player with responsibilities in this regard, we consider our efforts will be more tangible to all interested parties once certain key elements of how things will work (especially in relation to timing of pay and employment equity activities) become clear.

Implementing the pay and employment equity plan of action has required the development of new mechanisms: the pay and employment equity review tool, and the gender-neutral job evaluation tool. While account has been taken of the development of pay and employment equity processes that have been used in New Zealand and in other countries, there is no directly applicable model that we have been able to copy or adapt. An important objective in developing the new tools is to build on what has been done before and to address any shortcomings. The design decisions are conceptually complex and giving effect to them is technically demanding.

As it is critical for the success of the plan of action that the tools are both robust and user friendly, and that their legitimacy is widely accepted, the steering group considers the time has been well spent in the development phase.

The policy environment in which the ongoing development of the plan of action is taking place is one where high-level principles and commitments have been established, but where some important operational questions remain to be settled.

While the taskforce’s report has been received by the Government, not all its recommendations have been considered in detail or accepted at this point. Some important questions about how the pay and employment equity processes relate to other existing processes (such as budget and financial management and employment relations (especially collective bargaining)) are still under consideration. Uncertainties such as these have added to the complexities of securing an integrated, overall, long-term perspective on how are the plan of action will really work in practice. Understandably, they have also contributed to a heightened sense of risk which, in turn, has led to some delays as further work was carried out and additional consultation and engagement processes undertaken.

Implementing the plan of action involves diverse stakeholders, and potentially high impact opportunities, as well as risks for everyone. The steering group has devoted considerable effort to seeking closer alignment in the perspectives and directions of officials, the Pay and Employment Equity Unit, and employers and unions in the three sectors.

The steering group wishes to commend those public sector employers who have taken the lead afforded them and are working with unions and staff and the Pay and Unit to make progress. We also wish to urge those employers who have not yet initiated action consistent with the Government’s goal of pay and employment equity, to state their intentions in that regard and to get action under way.

I am grateful for the commitment and good natured challenging of steering group members, and, on their behalf, pay tribute to the dedicated and skilful work undertaken by the Pay and Employment Equity Unit Director, Philippa Hall, and her team.

Policy Development

(contribute to and inform policy development to give effect to the plan of action)

The steering group has continued to work on the further development of the plan of action, building on the decisions Ministers have made, following receipt of the taskforce report in May 2004.

The steering group provided advice for the Department of Labour reports to Cabinet on a range of matters including:

The steering group’s views are clearly and specifically outlined in the reports to the Cabinet.

Work on future phases of the plan of action will proceed during 2006. Progress has been slower than the taskforce envisaged. This is partly because some areas of the work required have proved more complex and time-consuming than had been envisaged, and partly because of the need to ensure results and processes are robust and risks are effectively managed.

Pay and Employment Equity Unit

(provide guidance and leadership to the unit in developing and implementing an annual work plan)

(advice to Pay and Employment Equity Unit and Secretary of Labour

The Pay and Employment Equity Unit was established and progressively staffed from September 2004. The Associate Minister for Labour launched the on December 2004 at its premises at level 1, 85 Terrace. full complement of staff is seven including the Director, Philippa Hall. There has been some staff turnover and recruitment difficulties during the year and that has delayed some work.

The Pay and Employment Equity Unit’s work plan has been reported on to each of the steering group meetings. The steering group has, from time to time, requested further information about and provided advice on projects the unit is undertaking.

Contestable Fund

The steering group provided advice on the development of criteria and guidelines for the contestable fund. The steering group has considered the applications received for two rounds of the contestable fund and provided recommendations for funding to the Secretary of Labour. steering group has identified issues that required further clarification with applicants.

The steering group competitively assessed the applications in relation to the criteria and guidelines established by Cabinet, and in relation to value for money.

Five applications were received in the first round of the fund and four were recommended for funding. The small number of applications reflected the timing of the opening of the fund (over the Christmas/New Year period) and uncertainty about which organisations would be undertaking pay and employment equity reviews, and when. There were delays in finalising the contracts for the projects and in disbursing the funds and that led to some re-negotiation of time frames for some projects.

Appendix one provides details of funded projects for 2004/05 and 2005/06.

Plan of Action

(continued development of each phase of the plan of action)

(priorities and progress within the plan)

(advice to Ministers through the Secretary of Labour, where further actions are needed to advance pay and employment equity and make appropriate recommendations to that end)

Development of tools

The Pay and employment equity review tool has been developed, tested and evaluated. The steering group provided advice on the specifications for the tool. Top Drawer consultants worked with the Pay and Employment Equity Unit on developing the tool, and provided support for the pilot organisations during the test of the tool. Pilots were conducted at the National Library and the health faculty at the Auckland University of Technology, in line with Ministerial Reference Group decisions. A third pilot at Hutt District Health Board did not proceed because the industrial environment was not conducive to an effective test of the review process.

A report on the Department of Labour evaluation of the pilots was provided to the Ministerial Reference Group in June 2005, advising that the pilots had shown that the tool was robust and suitable for use in the roll out of the review process in the three sectors. A forum was held in August 2005 for the pilot organisations to share their experiences with over 100 people. Education and training packages for review committees and project managers are being developed and delivered.

The Working Towards Pay and Employment Equity for Women in Public Health, Public Education and Public Service workbook has been published for use in carrying out the reviews. It provides guidance on the structured process for diagnosing and addressing equity issues, including on the sequence of review activities, roles of those involved and resources for use in the review process. The steering group has provided feedback through the contestable fund process that it expects pay and employment equity reviews to be carried out according to the guidance provided in the workbook.

Gender-neutral job evaluation

There are three related projects. They are:

These projects focus on different sources of gender bias – scheme design, job evaluation practice and job description and analysis.

Gender bias can occur in job evaluation in describing jobs, analysing them and evaluating them. The main reason it occurs is that gendered assumptions and values relating to the nature and value of different types of work mean that the job evaluation is not based on a full recognition of the contribution of the job to the work being undertaken.

The focus of the gender-neutral job evaluation tool is on the design of a job evaluation scheme that takes account of the sources of gender bias that have been identified in equal pay cases and in research, and takes into account a range of good practice guidelines.

The focus of the standard is on the practices that minimise the risk of gender bias, whatever scheme is being used. It will be completed by December 2006.

The focus of the Service Sector Skills Identification project is on concepts and methods to improve identification of skills in service sector work, especially human services work. The project will assess various methods for collecting job information, together with guidelines and a business case for using the methods identified.

The projects are complementary and when they are all completed (in 2007), further work will be done on the effective integration of their findings and approaches.

The gender-neutral job evaluation tool is being developed and tested by Mercer (formerly Watson Wyatt) and Top Drawer consultancies. The steering group provided advice on the specifications for the tool. Two tests have been carried out and a third is being undertaken. first test was of whether the factor plan adequately accommodated the range of job information typically provided in job descriptions. second test tested the gender-neutral job evaluation job information questionnaire, the factor plan and included a job evaluation process on around 40 jobs. Ten weightings scenarios were tested on the evaluations.

The steering group facilitated the negotiation of the site for the third test, at the Ministry of Social Development. The third test will be on some 40-50 jobs, to compare the rank order of jobs using the gender-neutral job evaluation tool with the rank order produced by the existing job evaluation systems. Discussions are being held with stakeholders about their acceptance criteria for the gender-neutral job evaluation tool. Following the third test, and finalisation of the tool, guidelines and education and training materials will be produced and the guidelines for pay investigations reported to Ministers.

A pay investigation is best described as a study of job value and remuneration for an occupation. The purpose of the investigation is to assess the value of the work being performed in the female dominated occupation that is the focus of the investigation and the setting of the remuneration for that work. A pay investigation will typically focus on factors in job size (including skills, knowledge and qualifications) and conditions. It will also cover other factors which influence remuneration rates, including market influences, performance payments and other employment conditions.

Government has accepted advice that Ministerial control over entry into pay investigations in the public service or public health sector is not feasible as it may undermine existing bargaining processes. Government does, however, have an interest in establishing the parameters within which pay investigations are conducted to ensure that apparent pay inequities are subjected to thorough scrutiny before they are introduced into the bargaining process or form the basis of a remedial pay settlement claim.

A gender-inclusive job evaluation standard is being commissioned by the Pay and Employment Equity Unit, Department of Labour. The standard is being developed with Standards New Zealand and major stakeholders – employers (public and private sector – State Services Commission, Human Resources Institute Zealand (HRINZ), Business Zealand, District Health Boards Zealand (DHBNZ), the Council of Trade Unions, job evaluation providers (Hay, Mercer and Strategic Pay) and equity experts (Pay and Equity Unit, Top Drawer, Expertise, the Human Rights Commission and the EEO Trust). The standard will be a voluntary one, and is to be completed by the end of 2006. standards development process provides an opportunity to develop consensus among stakeholders on gender-inclusive job evaluation, to support good practice among commercial job evaluation providers.

A project has been commissioned to develop better methods of collecting job information in service sector work. The project is being undertaken by a team led by Dr Anne Junor from the University of New South Wales. Around 50 jobs will be covered in the fieldwork, involving various methods of collecting job information, including interviews, questionnaires, observation and focus groups. project will produce methods for collecting and analysing information about the skills used in service sector work and guides to using them, and establish the business case for using the methods.

It is clear from research and from experience in the gender-neutral job evaluation project that the quality of job information is critically important for effective job evaluation, especially in areas where job holders and/or their supervisors may not fully identify and articulate the skills required for effective performance of the work.

Roll out of pay and employment equity reviews

Ten public service departments (including the sector leaders and the Department of Labour) are undertaking reviews in 2005/06. A sector approach is being developed for health, involving an initial review in a sample of district health boards followed by a validation process across the remaining district health boards and reporting a response plan for the sector to Ministers prior to implementation. Sector approaches are being developed for education, using tripartite processes.

Funding remedial pay settlements

The Government has made a commitment to addressing pay inequities in female dominated occupational groups. Following the commitment to the phased roll out of pay and employment equity reviews, decisions were made by Cabinet in December 2005 on how remedial pay settlements arising from those reviews and pay investigations will be managed. Additional funding for remedial pay settlements will be considered within existing budget processes, advised by a tripartite process. Claims need to be supported by a business case establishing clear evidence that there is pay inequity (preferably based on a rigorous pay investigation), whether organisations can fund the claim through re-prioritisation and how relativities-based claims will be managed.

Monitoring and Evaluating

(monitor, evaluate and independently report to the Secretary of Labour on progress being made towards achieving the objectives of the plan of action)

(identifying information and statistical requirements to provide the foundation for the ongoing work of Pay and Employment Equity Unit)

The pilots provided some insight into the information likely to be produced during pay and employment equity reviews. The reports on reviews and the response plans will be a key source of information about the review process and outcomes. reports and response plans will be provided to sector leaders and to the Pay and Employment Equity Unit, which will allow analysis of equity issues in specific organizations and sectors, and overall trends. Sector leaders will report biannually to Ministers on progress in the reviews. Case studies will be developed by the Pay and Unit as the roll out of reviews proceeds and that will provide a good picture of the specific outcomes of the review process.

During 2006, the Pay and Employment Equity and the steering group will develop an overall evaluation framework for the plan of action. Results from the pay and employment equity interventions will often take some years to become evident. The reviews can be expected to take 6-12 months and the responses will often involve significant change in complex and high impact organisation processes. Different issues will be prioritised by organisations.

As the plan of action currently covers around 10% of New Zealand’s workforce, national statistics on the gender pay gap and occupational distribution will not show a great impact, especially in the short term.

Work will also be undertaken on modelling the economic impacts of improvements in the gender pay gap, including effects on lifetime earnings, repayment of student loans, retirement incomes, contributions to taxation, and household incomes.

A case study is being undertaken on the contribution equity can make to improving productivity. Some preliminary work on productivity and equity has been undertaken by the unit and efforts will be made to develop it further in 2005/06.

Sector Leadership

(communicating to sectors the principles of the approach being taken at each phase of the plan)

(communicating to the Pay and Employment Equity Unit the experiences of organisations and unions in undertaking activities that flow from the plan)

(advising on appropriate sources of research and professional expertise available nationally and internationally)

Accountabilities

Cabinet decisions have provided the accountabilities framework, utilising existing accountabilities mechanisms in the three sectors. Timing of decisions about the roll out of reviews has meant that the commitments in accountabilities documents to pay and employment equity have generally been high level rather than highly specific. More detailed commitments are likely in future documents. The Pay and Employment Equity Unit in conjunction with other officials is to report to Cabinet in October 2006 on the effectiveness of the accountabilities mechanisms and advise on whether other mechanisms are needed. steering group will be actively involved in providing advice on the effectiveness of mechanisms and on whether other mechanisms are needed.

A Pay and Employment Equity Chief Executives’ Committee has been established to monitor performance against accountabilities. It has provided a useful forum for raising awareness of and commitment to pay and employment equity initiatives.

Communication

The steering group has been very aware of the importance of communication in building understanding of and commitment to the plan of action. Steering group members have provided briefings to Public Service chief executives, Chief executives of district health boards, unions and others. The steering group has started a newsletter on current developments in the plan of action, for steering group members to use in communications within their sectors and to publish on the Pay and Employment Equity Unit website.

The Secretary of Labour has also provided briefings to chief executives and spoken on pay and employment equity at a range of events. The Pay and Employment Equity Unit has addressed conferences and meetings and provided updates at State Services Commission’s human resources and equal employment opportunities forums.

The steering group has provided advice to the Pay and Employment Equity Unit on the development of five fact sheets on pay and employment equity:

  1. What is pay and employment equity?
  2. Pay and employment equity plan of action
  3. Working in a joint employer/union review on pay and employment equity
  4. History of pay and employment equity in New Zealand
  5. Definitions of terms

The steering group also provided advice on guidance for organisations undertaking pay and employment equity reviews for incorporation in the Working Towards Pay and Employment Equity for Women in Public Health, Public Education and Public Service workbook.

The steering group provided advice on writing pay and employment equity commitments in accountabilities documents for sector leaders.

Visits by Mary-Jane Gleeson (from Australia) and Julie Mellor (from the UK) were used to provide opportunities for raising awareness of pay and employment equity issues.

Communications will be a higher priority in 2005/06 as further progress is made in implementing the plan. There will be more specific developments to report. The steering group and the Pay and Employment Equity Unit have developed a communications plan and work on implementing and further developing it is ongoing. A particular priority will be producing a pay and employment equity plan of action that reflects the decisions Ministers have made about the plan.

The steering group recognises the need to communicate widely, and not just through its own channels, the commitment and leadership of Ministers to whole-of-government action for pay and employment equity.

Targets 2005/2006

Steering group priorities 2005/06

Appendix 1: Terms of Reference

The terms of reference and governance arrangements were adopted at the steering group meeting 4 October 2004 (as minuted).

Terms of reference

Pay and Employment Equity Steering Group

Introduction

The Government is committed to making steady and measurable progress towards achieving pay and employment equity.

To give effect to this commitment the Government has endorsed a five-year plan of action to lead the public service, public health and public education sectors in addressing the pay and employment equity issues that confront them collectively and individually.

The causes of inequities in pay and employment equity are complex, and whilst some factors are consistent across the sectors, customised targets and actions are required within each government organisation covered by the plan and sector to systematically identify, reduce and remove disparity.

Those best placed to identify impediments to pay and employment equity and put in place strategies for positive change within each public sector organisation are the leaders, employers and unions within those organisations and umbrella agencies. Those agencies have the central role in implementing effective solutions.

Pay and Employment Equity Unit

A Pay and Employment Equity unit is being established within the Department of Labour from 1 July 2004. The Director of the unit will report to the Deputy Secretary, Workplace Group.

The role of the unit will be to promote the plan of action, support the sectors in its implementation, develop professional analytical tools, provide advisory services to the three sectors, and to monitor overall progress toward achievement of the goals of the plan.

Pay and Employment Equity Steering Group

To provide leadership, guidance and external review to the plan of action the Government agreed to establish a steering group. This group will comprise those with relevant expertise and experience from within their sectors. Members will be appointed by and advise the Secretary of Labour. The of Labour will report on progress toward the goals of the overall plan to the Minister of Labour. In doing so he will ensure the views of the steering group are reported to the Minister.

It will be critical to the success of the plan that the partnership established through the taskforce process provides the foundation for its continued development.

To reflect the key stakeholders in the sectors covered by the plan of action the steering group will comprise:

The Director of the Pay and Employment Equity Unit will be an ex officio member of the steering group. The Secretary of Labour will also attend meetings of the steering group in an ex officio capacity, at the request of the chair. From time to time the steering group may co-opt or seek the advice of key experts or stakeholders to assist them in their task.

This group will have a term of five years and will meet at least quarterly.

In undertaking its role the steering group will:

This work will require the steering group to advise the unit and Secretary of Labour on:

Further, the members of the group will provide leadership in and from their sectors by:

The group will also be supported by the unit in developing an annual independent review for the Secretary of Labour on progress towards meeting the Government’s objective. This element of the work programme will include:

Appendix 2: Funded Projects for 2004/05 and 2005/06

Applications to the contestable fund in 2004/05 funding year

1. AUT Auckland University of Technology Funding - $20,280

Piloting of the Pay and Employment Equity Review Tool

This project was for funding a project manager to facilitate the pilot of the Pay and Employment Equity Audit Tool at AUT. AUT worked in close consultation with TIASA, ASTE and the Pay and Employment Equity Unit to inform further development of the audit tool for use in other organisations. The project was completed by 31 July 2005 and a report and evaluation of the project was submitted to the Pay and Employment Equity Unit.

Contract complete

2. Auckland District Health Board Funding - $55,000

Investigating enhancing employability and retention of family-friendly initiatives

The project aims to identify issues and barriers that inhibit employment equity and to strategise solutions in these issues and barriers. The project will cover:

Recruitment and induction of a project manager was completed in late September 2005. The project is scheduled for completion by 14 July 2006.

Funding milestones:

[paid 28 June on execution of contract $11,000]

14 December 2005 - $22,000

14 June 2006 - $11,000

14 July 2006 - $11,000.

3. New Zealand Council of Trade Unions Funding - $333,054

Mapping and training for pay and employment equity

This project was designed to prepare CTU unions to fully engage in the pay and employment equity action plan and to complement the work of the Pay and Employment Equity Unit. The project covers four key components:

  1. Sector mapping - a phased roll out of pay and employment equity reviews and remedial pay settlements
  2. Research - membership data, overseas material to apply the job evaluation and audit tools
  3. Training and education - union personnel on taskforce-identified issues and on organising around the pay and employment equity audits and remedial pay settlements
  4. Media and communication - training resources and general information to promote unions’ role in the pay and employment equity action plan.

The NZCTU appointed a project manager in July and in August, sought, and was granted, a variation in contract which effectively rolls back its timeframes by four months. To date it has established a project working group, produced media packs, branded a CTU pay and employment equity project logo, and met its 30th September sign-off deadline to complete (a) a draft project plan and schedule for deliverables and (b) a work breakdown structure. It is scheduled to provide a progress report in November and complete the current project in August 2006.

Funding milestones:

[paid 8 June on execution of contract $100,000)

9 December 2005 - $100,000

14 April 2006 - $66,527

11 August 2006 - $66,527.

4. National Library of New Zealand Funding - $18,000

Piloting of the pay and employment equity review tool

A joint pilot of the pay and employment equity audit tool for the public service by the National Library and PSA in conjunction with the Pay and Employment Equity Unit to inform further development of the audit tool for use in other organisations and to be completed by June 2005.

The application was successful, but the Library subsequently requested its funding be retained in the fund since it did not require the funding to continue with the pilot scheme.

5. Waikato District Health Board - Application declined

Internal gender-based salary disparities audit tool

This application was declined as the proposal was for funding to carry out work that was being undertaken by the Pay and Employment Equity Unit.

Applications to the contestable fund in 2005/06 funding year

The second round of the fund resulted in 11 applications, and the fund was almost fully subscribed. Funding recommendations were approved by the Minister of Labour in December 2005. It will be possible to invite another application if there is a perceived capability gap.

1. State Services Commission Funding - $31,641

Completion of its inaugural pay and employment equity review

The project was for funding to contract an external project manager to oversee the State Services Commission’s pay and employment equity review and implement the review committee’s communications strategy. The review will help Commission work towards goals already identified in its equal employment opportunities plan (specifically relating to gender and closing the pay gap). The group that stands to benefit most is the administrative/support group at the lower levels of the organisation (approximately 33% female).

2. Ministry of Education (internal) - Amount sought $71,700

Internal pay and employment equity review

The Ministry of Education will employ a pay and employment equity review project manager for 5 months to 30 June, 2006 to design and scope its internal resource process. It has signalled that

it will apply for a higher level of funding in its ‘operational’ phase of the review, in the 12 months July 2006 — June 2007. Around 80% of Ministry staff are women.

3. Ministry of Education (wider sector) - Funding $133,900

Pay and employment equity review

This proposal will employ project managers to lead the scoping design, implementation and review processes in the wider education sector (tripartite forums) and to support school boards in carrying out the review. This is in line with Cabinet’s decision that there will be a planned and managed approach for the roll out of pay and employment equity audits/employment mechanisms across the three public sectors. The education sector employs twice as many women as men, and on average there is a gap of 15 percent between the average earnings of women ($22.66 an hour) and men ($26.62). Ninety-one percent of school support staff are women.

4. Education Review Office Funding - $20,000

Internal pay and employment equity review

The Education Review Office submitted an application to undertake an internal pay and employment review. A project manager will be employed full time for up to 3 months to carry out an internal review. The review will identify any gender-based employment issues, particularly relating to different ethnic groups and a response plan will be developed outlining corrective strategies. workforce comprises 70% women, and 20% of the workforce is Maori.

5. Child Youth and Family (CYF) - Funding $93,600

Pay and employment equity review

Child Youth and Family will carry out a pay and employment equity review to assess how gender affects employment in the organisation, to identify areas that are already performing well, and to highlight areas where there are gender differences that may require further investigation and response. The review will provide a platform for further review of wider social work sector issues in relation to pay and employment equity, particularly in proposing solutions that could assist in the recruitment and retention of social workers. Social workers are a female-dominated workforce. CYF has given high priority to recruitment and retention of qualified social workers as it is concerned at the impact a looming shortage of qualified social workers will have not only on the organisation, but also across the voluntary social work sector. Seventy-five percent of employees are female.

6. New Zealand Council of Trade Unions - Funding $141,328

plus $123,937 subject to condition being met.

Developing the pay and employment equity capability of unions

The project aims to achieve the consolidation and sustainability of outcomes of the current pay and employment equity-funded project and further extend the pay and employment equity capacity, of the identified state sector unions and New Zealand Council of Trade Unions affiliates. Participants are the identified nine state sector and affiliated unions covered by the three primary sector groups — public service, health, and education. The NZCTU secured $333,045 in funding in last year’s round, and has indicated it will seek further funding in the 2006-2007 fund, to complete its overall project.

The steering group approved the sum of $141,328 for phase two of the review plus $123,937 for a researcher and DVD production subject to evidence that the work could be completed in 2005/06 financial year.

7. Joint PSA/Department of Labour - Amount sought $66,375

Internal pay and employment equity review

Conducting a joint pay and employment equity review of the Department of Labour will align with the Department’s Partnership for Quality and consultation principles. It is intended to develop a targeted database aligned with the Department’s new structure that will contribute to its success in achieving pay and employment equity. The six-month review will develop response plans for those areas where equity discrepancies are identified.

8. Ministry of Health - Funding $61,000

Internal pay and employment equity review

An internal pay and employment equity review will be carried out between October 2005 – June 2006 to assemble a gender profile looking at participation, distribution and pay by gender. It builds on existing initiatives. The Ministry has a predominately female (67%) workforce.

9. Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade - Funding $90,000

Pay and employment equity review

Summary: A pay and employment equity review will be carried out in the 2005-2006 year to verify the Ministry’s policies, practices and culture to ensure women and men have an equitable share of rewards, participate equitably in all areas of the organisation and are treated with respect and fairness. The Career

Progression and Development Survey 2000 highlighted areas of concern.

10. Ministry of Women’s Affairs Amount sought: $11,250

Pay and employment equity review

The Ministry is seeking a part-time project manager for six months to manage the pay and employment equity review. The Pay and Employment Equity Unit is interested in how its review experiences can improve the review process for other small organisations and those where there is a predominantly female workforce. Ministry has 31 staff, of which around 19% are likely to actively participate in the review committee. It does not have sufficient staff available to make an internal project manager appointment.

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