New proposed legislation to address pay equity and pay transparency in the province will receive second reading in the House of Assembly today. The Bill, titled “An Act Respecting Pay Equity for the Public Sector and Pay Transparency for the Public and Private Sectors,” will support equitable pay practices in the province. This proposed legislation builds on the Provincial Government’s ongoing efforts to support women and gender diverse people in Newfoundland and Labrador.

Pay equity provisions in the proposed Bill will:

• Apply to all public sector employers with 10 or more employees;
• Require public sector employers to implement compensation practices to value jobs based on four criteria: skill, effort, responsibility and working conditions; and
• Designate a commissioner under the Public Service Commission Act to act as the Pay Equity Officer.

Pay transparency provisions in the proposed Bill will:

• Apply to employers in the public and private sectors;
• Require employers to include information regarding pay in publicly advertised job postings;
• Prohibit employers from requesting pay history information from job applicants;
• Prohibit employers from penalizing an employee or applicant for inquiring about or disclosing pay information, or requesting that the employer comply with the Act; and
• Require certain employers to prepare pay transparency reports.

Consultations will occur in the fall to inform regulations of the act, pertaining to pay equity and pay transparency, including specific elements of reporting requirements and timelines for implementation. Additionally, government will consult with employers and stakeholders to determine next steps for implementing pay equity in the private sector.

This Bill contains pay transparency provisions that will make Newfoundland and Labrador a leader among the jurisdictions with prescriptive pay transparency requirements for the public and private sectors.

Quotes
“This legislation is a positive step forward for gender equality, and for populations who have experienced discrimination in the workplace such as women, gender-diverse people, members of the 2SLGBTQQIA+ community, Indigenous people, Black and racialized people, people with disabilities and other intersecting identities. I look forward to supporting my colleagues as we continue to progress pay equity and pay transparency measures.”
Honourable Pam Parsons
Minister Responsible for Women and Gender Equality

“I am pleased to see government advance and legislate the requirement for pay equity, which ensures the recognition of skill, effort, responsibility and working conditions in job evaluation.”
Honourable Siobhan Coady
Deputy Premier and President of Treasury Board

“Pay transparency is just one step in the process of pay equity. It is one mechanism to help level the employment playing field, and another step to help address the gender wage gap in Newfoundland and Labrador. Details on a fulsome consultations process will be shared in the coming weeks.”
Honourable Bernard Davis
Minister of Environment and Climate Change and Minister Responsible for Labour

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Learn more
Office of Women and Gender Equality

Job Evaluation System – Treasury Board Secretariat

Labour Relations and Standards

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Media contacts
Angela Picco
Office of Women and Gender Equality
709-729-4934, 687-4753
angelapicco@gov.nl.ca

Victoria Barbour
Treasury Board Secretariat
709-729-4087, 327-6152
victoriabarbour@gov.nl.ca

Debbie Marnell
Environment and Climate Change
709-729-2575, 699-9048
debbiemarnell@gov.nl.ca