Gender Pay Gap Reporting Ireland – Regulations Published

On 3 June 2022, the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth published the long-awaited Employment Equality Act 1998 (section 20A) (Gender Pay Gap Information) Regulations 2022 (“the Regulations”).

The Regulations provide the underlying obligations and calculation details for the Gender Pay Gap Information Act 2021 (“the Act”) which was signed into law in July 2021. The Act requires organisations to report on their hourly gender pay gap across a range of metrics.

The Regulations provide vital definitions, such as those for ‘allowance’, ‘relevant date’, ‘relevant pay period’, and ‘working hours’.

The Regulations set out how to calculate Hourly Remuneration, Total Number of Working Hours, Bonus Remuneration, as well as setting out details on the format of publication of results by employers.

What we know

Initially, organisations with 250+ employees will be required to report their Gender Pay Gap metrics for the first time in 2022.

Organisations should select their relevant date (i.e. snapshot date) in the month of June. Calculations should be prepared based on relevant employees on this date and reported no later than six months after this date, in December 2022.

Organisations are required to report the following figures:

1. The mean and median gap in hourly pay between men and women;
2. The mean and median gap in bonus pay between men and women;
3. The mean and median gap in hourly pay of part-time male and female employees;
4. The mean and median gap in hourly pay of male and female employees on temporary contracts;
5. The percentage of men and women who received bonus pay;
6. The percentage of men and women who received benefits in kind; and
7. The percentages of male and female employees who fall within each of:
   • the lower remuneration quartile pay band;
   • the lower middle remuneration quartile pay band;
   • the upper middle remuneration quartile pay band; and
   • the upper remuneration quartile pay band.

The report should also include:

(i) the reasons for any differences; and
(ii) the measures (if any) being taken, or proposed to be taken, by the employer to eliminate or reduce these differences.

The gender pay gap information should be published on the organisation’s website or in some other way that is accessible to all of its employees and to the public.

Ensure Gender Pay Gap Reporting Compliance

While reporting will be mandatory for employers with 250 or more employees initially, by 2024 this threshold will decrease to 150+ employees and in 2025 will decrease further to 50+ employees.

It is recommended that all organisations start performing Gender Pay Gap calculations now. Organisations that understand their Gender Pay Gap metrics can make positive steps to be in a better position when reporting and publishing requirements become applicable.

How EisnerAmper Ireland can help

At EisnerAmper Ireland, our dedicated team of outsourced payroll and advisory professionals possess the tools and the expertise to analyse your payroll data and produce detailed reports highlighting the current gender pay gap in your organisation.

If we can help you or your business in any way, please do get in touch – we’d be delighted to help.

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