PDA calls for action on disability and ethnicity pay gap reporting

• PDA backs mandatory disability and ethnicity pay gap reporting for large employers
• Reports and research show ethnic minority locums earn 10% less, with wider pay disparities
• PDA urges action plans and annual data to address inequality and boost inclusivity

The Pharmacists’ Defence Association (PDA) has come forward in support of the proposal seeking proper monitoring and reporting of ethnicity and disability pay gaps by employers with more than 250 staff.

Employers of this nature already monitor and report for gender pay gaps.

PDA is an active signatory of the Disability Employment Charter, which highlights relevant issues of disabled workers for the government.

The compulsory annual publication of data by employers with 250+ workers is one of the nine areas of action of the charter.

The complaints reported by PDA’s Ability Network and BAME Network members regarding discrimination at work triggered this movement. Lack of progression and disparity in payment compared to their colleagues were reported.

A prior research conducted by PDA with The Equality Trust points out that locums belonging to ethnic minority groups were paid 10 per cent lesser than the white British groups.

The study discovered that employees in positions like relief managers, clinical pharmacists and community pharmacists from the ethnic minority background faces this issue.

While raising awareness on the issue, PDA also states that these disparities need not be deliberate. But the absence of consistent monitoring and reporting could worsen the inequality.

The annual data must include the number of disabled employees in the workforce, their disability pay gap and the percentage of disabled workers within each pay quartile.

PDA urges all the employers to create action plans to identify and rectify inequalities in pay within their organisations. The action plan is to promote inclusivity as well.