Important new legislative changes impacting federally regulated
employers will come into effect in 2021: the Pay Equity
Act and a minimum wage requirement. Details on both these
measures and how that will affect employers are examined
below.
Pay Equity Act
The federal Pay Equity Act comes into effect on August
31, 2021. The Act applies to federally regulated employers who have
10 or more employees. Federally regulated employers fall under the
Canada Labour Code and include organizations such as
airlines, banks, telecommunication, marine shipping, and
interprovincial travel. The purpose of the Act is to, "achieve
pay equity through proactive means by redressing the systemic
gender-based discrimination in the compensation practices and
systems of employers that is experienced by employees who occupy
positions in predominantly female job classes so that they receive
equal compensation for work of equal value".
