Victorian government to support SMEs close gender pay gap

The Victorian state government has released educational resources to help small and medium-sized businesses close the gender pay gap.

Tim Pallas, minister for industrial relations, launched a range of learning materials developed by the Victorian Equal Opportunity and Human Rights Commission (VEOHRC). The Victorian state government has funded the venture to support businesses understand equal pay.

The resources consist of three interactive videos and three short e-learning modules which are tailored to the needs of small and medium enterprises (SMEs). The content was developed with the help of businesses and industry experts and will be widely distributed.

Pallas stated, “On average, women must work 60 days more to earn the same salary as a man.” He said that supporting small and medium-sized businesses with information and resources will help to reduce the gender pay gap and boost fairness across the economy.

“It’s a win for everyone – research shows that equitable workplaces are more productive, have less staff turnover and higher morale and are more profitable,” Pallas concluded.

Commissioner of VEOHRC, Ro Allen, said this was an opportunity for SMEs to reset and update business practices.

“Equal pay is a human right but it’s also good for business and our resources will help businesses take realistic and achievable steps to advance equal pay in their workplaces.”

SMEs cover two in three employed Victorians, making up a significant portion of the workforce and economy in the state.

Previously in Victoria, the government and VEOHRC released a report titled ‘Equal pay matters: Achieving gender pay equality in small-to-medium enterprises’. The report stated that pay inequality at smaller organisations was driven by a limited understanding of equal pay and how it applies to them.

Recent data from the Workplace Gender Equality Agency shows that the national gender pay gap is 14.1 per cent, with an increase of 0.3 per cent over the past six months. The pay gap for the manufacturing sector for 2022 is currently sitting at 12.1 per cent.

Tim Pallas, minister for industrial relations, launched a range of learning materials developed by the Victorian Equal Opportunity and Human Rights Commission (VEOHRC). The Victorian state government has funded the venture to support businesses understand equal pay.

The resources consist of three interactive videos and three short e-learning modules which are tailored to the needs of small and medium enterprises (SMEs). The content was developed with the help of businesses and industry experts and will be widely distributed.

Pallas stated, “On average, women must work 60 days more to earn the same salary as a man.” He said that supporting small and medium-sized businesses with information and resources will help to reduce the pay gap and boost fairness across the economy.

“It’s a win for everyone – research shows that equitable workplaces are more productive, have less staff turnover and higher morale and are more profitable,” Pallas concluded.
Commissioner of VEOHRC, Ro Allen, said this was an opportunity for SMEs to reset and update business practices.

“Equal pay is a human right but it’s also good for business and our resources will help businesses take realistic and achievable steps to advance equal pay in their workplaces.”
SMEs cover two in three employed Victorians, making up a significant portion of the workforce and economy in the state.

Previously in Victoria, the government and VEOHRC released a report titled ‘Equal pay matters: Achieving gender pay equality in small-to-medium enterprises’. The report stated that pay inequality at smaller organisations was driven by a limited understanding of equal pay and how it applies to them.

Recent data from the Workplace Gender Equality Agency shows that the national gender pay gap is 14.1 per cent, with an increase of 0.3 per cent over the past six months. The pay gap for the manufacturing sector for 2022 is currently sitting at 12.1 per cent.

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