MONITORING

The Progress of Pay Equity

The Pay Equity Commission monitors compliance with randomly selected organizations whose deadline for providing pay equity has passed.

Monitoring whether employers have provided pay equity will:

• level the playing field among employers by making sure that all have
  complied with the Pay Equity Act (the Act);
• increase the effectiveness of the Act by ensuring fair wages for work done
  mostly by women;
• provide valuable assistance to employers who have not yet complied.
  

Each year, a sector, or industry group, is chosen by the Pay Equity Commission to be monitored. Employers are randomly selected from a list for that sector.

Selected employers will be informed that they are among those that may be monitored by the Pay Equity Commission, and are required to post a 'Notice of Requirement to Achieve and Maintain Pay Equity'.

Some of the selected employers will receive follow up from a Review Officer who will ask them questions about their pay equity process, and, where necessary, will arrange to meet and review records.

The Review Officer will ask whether the employer posted a pay equity plan. The Officer will request the plan, confirm when it was posted and that it contains the information required by the Act, including; the definition of establishment or geographic location, a list of female and male job classes used in pay equity comparisons, a description of the pay equity comparison process, the results of pay equity job comparisons, any pay equity wage adjustments to female job classes, and the dates when adjustments were paid out.

A Review Officer may also ask for:

• payroll records showing that any required adjustments have been paid, or are, being paid, according to the Act;
• a letter stating that the 'Notice of Requirement to Achieve and Maintain Pay Equity' has been posted in the workplace.

The Commission's goal is to determine if the employer has followed the process required by the Act. If everything is in order, the Officer will conclude her/his investigation. However, the Officer may follow up to resolve any problems.

The Review Officer will advise the bargaining agent that the employer is being monitored. Bargaining agents will be involved in any follow up concerning the monitoring of a bargaining unit pay equity plan.

If a pay equity plan has not been posted, or pay equity has not been provided, the Review Officer will assist the Employer and any bargaining agent in taking any necessary steps.

If necessary, the Review Officer can issue an order directing the employer and any bargaining agent to prepare a plan or to provide pay equity.

Where the employer and any bargaining agent, fail to act on the order, the Review Officer will ask the Pay Equity Hearings Tribunal to enforce the order.

No.  An employee can complain against a pay equity plan at any time, even after there has been an investigation by a Review Officer. The Review Officer will work with the employer and employees to resolve any pay equity issues.

The Pay Equity Commission offers free services to guide employers through the pay equity process.

We are here to help. We can answer your questions by e-mail at pecinfo.pecinfo@ontario.ca or by phone at (416) 314-1896, or toll-free at 1-800-387-8813. Publications and seminars are available free of charge. Request these by contacting us at pecseminars.pecseminars@ontario.ca

All communications are confidential.