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Employers urged to be more transparent over pay

Author
Newstalk ZB,
Publish Date
Wed, 16 Sep 2020, 6:06PM
(Photo / Getty)
(Photo / Getty)

Employers urged to be more transparent over pay

Author
Newstalk ZB,
Publish Date
Wed, 16 Sep 2020, 6:06PM

Should Kiwis be more open about how much we get paid?

There are calls for New Zealanders to be more open about their salaries, with one employment lawyer writing that our lack of openness around pay reporting is driving a large gap between equally skilled workers, with people being left undervalued.

Equal Opportunities Commissioner Saunoamaali’i Karanina Sumeo told Heather du Plessis-Allan they have done research that has found that a significant number of people are not allowed to talk about their pay with their colleagues.

"It is a big problem across New Zealand."

She says that it is advantageous for the employer to keep their pay secret so they can attract talent, and it means the power remains with the employer. 

"It puts the worker at a disadvantage, especially for a Gen-Y graduate, you're not familiar with the way it is here, or your a new graduate, you don't know how the market works." 

Sumeo says that the rules should be changed to give power to young people, women and migrants to ensure more equity in pay.

While this will help women, Sumeo says that it will help men as well - as research shows they do not negotiate as much as originally thought. 

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