Gender Pay Gap Reporting Deadline Extended

The Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) has confirmed that due to the continued effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, the gender pay gap enforcement action against employers will be suspended until the 5 October 2021.

Employers who have a headcount of 250 or more must comply with the regulations on gender pay gap reporting. The legal requirement for organisations to report their gender pay gap data was suspended on the 24th March 2020 at the start of the pandemic and the first national lockdown.

The change for the 2020/21 reporting year gives employers required to meet the regulations an additional six months to report their data before enforcement action by the EHRC is taken. The deadline for public sector employers to report their data would have been the 30th March 2021, with a snapshot date of the 31st March 2020. For private sector employers and voluntary organisations, the deadline would have been the 4th April 2021, with a snapshot date of the 5th April 2020.

The EHRC will recommence enforcement of the gender pay gap reporting obligations after this additional six-month grace period ends on 5 October 2021. The EHRC has the power to investigate employers who fail to report their gender pay gap data which can lead to unlimited fines after court action. The EHRC is encouraging employers to submit their data for 2020/21 before the October deadline where possible.