TASKS AND RESPONSIBILITIES

For a Pay Equity Committee

The tasks and responsibilities of the Pay Equity Committee can include, but are not limited to, the following.

1. Develop strategies or plans for making the pay equity process work effectively and efficiently. The goal is to function with a minimum of conflict and conduct matters in a timely manner.
   
   
2. Establish policies and terms of reference defining the activities of the Pay Equity Committee.
   
   
3. Decide the role of each member and develop clear expectations of each of these roles. Useful roles are Facilitator/Chair and Secretary/Recorder.
   
   
4. Integrate new members by providing them with all available resources, support, and information on pay equity and legislative requirements. Explain the "Committee Tasks and Responsibilities" to new members and provide updates on the past workings and history of the Committee and the pay equity process.
   
   
5. The Pay Equity Committee should strive to make decisions by consensus. Though harder to do, making decisions by consensus forces the group to clarify issues, gather additional information if necessary and seek better alternatives.
   
   

1. Hold Pay Equity Committee meetings, ensuring a timely handling, review and resolution of questions and concerns.
   
   
2. Receive and examine all applications for review of any situation, event or change affecting jobs or compensation that could have an impact or effect on pay equity.
   
   
3. Ensure that all necessary information or documentation is available to resolve concerns or complaints: this data could be collected through written submission, by employee or management interviews or by conducting desk audits. Requests for this data should receive priority from the management group and all employees and every effort should be made to consult the relevant parties and give such parties the opportunity to reply, should they so wish.
   
   
4. Review job information/descriptions for accuracy, completeness and gender neutrality. Take any action necessary to resolve complaints, issues or concerns, e.g. evaluation of job classes, recalculation of job rates, correct matching of male and female job classes through the Job-to-Job or Proportional Value approaches. Make sure the gender neutral comparison system used to evaluate jobs is still appropriate. If changes are required, the Committee can recommend changes and modifications to the system and seek approval from management.
   
   
5. Submit the results of the review to all parties upon the conclusion of a re-evaluation or any other work undertaken to address an employee's complaint or concerns. The Committee will include its findings, conclusions and recommendations for action. The Committee will hear further arguments if the decision is appealed by an employee or a supervisor.
   
   
6. Ensure that pay equity adjustments, including any retroactivity, are disbursed promptly, no later than for example, the third pay period following the Committee's recommendations/decisions and the agreement of all parties of said decision.
   
   

1. Communicate or update regularly with all persons working for the employer on issues relating to pay equity or the functions of the Pay Equity Committee.
   
   
2. Coordinate the amendment of the Pay Equity Plan on a regular basis. Employers have a legal obligation to maintain and adjust for pay equity as soon as changes occur, and may amend and re-post the plan. Many employers create an ongoing maintenance program and opt to amend and re-post the plan at the end of each calendar year. This amended plan would normally detail all changes that occurred during the previous twelve months, remind employees of the "Request for Position Review" process and of the legislated 127-day appeal period given to employees upon a re-posting of an amended plan
   
   
3. The Pay Equity Committee can develop, modify and/or maintain a resource kit containing tools designed to help its representatives and employees with concerns about the re-evaluation or classification process. This kit could include documents such as: the terms of reference for a pay equity committee; the tasks and responsibilities of a pay equity committee; a "Request for review of job information" form; a guide to gathering job information; a guide to re-classification or re-evaluation process; and a sample job description.