Pay equity audit: the government is finally taking action!
After over a two-year delay, the pay equity audit for 2015-2020 finally started this spring. This crucial step involves assessing over 300 job categories in the parapublic sector, including healthcare professionals’ jobs. The changes that occurred in healthcare professionals’ practice between 2015 and 2020 will be analyzed. Next, equivalent predominantly feminine jobs and predominantly masculine jobs will be compared and salary adjustments could be made if any disparities are found.
At the special provincial council on May 15, the members of the ad hoc committee on pay equity maintenance reminded the delegation of the circumstances which obliged the government to begin the work. The complaints the FIQ filed, the pressure applied by various labour organizations, as well as the CNESST’s interventions were all necessary to get things moving.
Faced with doors that were resolutely closed, the government had no choice but to launch a process that would enable the concerned parties to exchange information. The process should produce more transparent and representative results. This participative approach, introduced for the first time by the Pay Equity Act in 2019, will be followed by the first posting of the audit results, including explanations on the employer’s process, the details of the events that could influence the value of a job, as well as the announcement of the expected salary percentage adjustments.
The FIQ team will be actively involved in this matter in the coming months.
Remember that this audit, conducted every five years, is meant to maintain pay equity over time and prevent any form of discrimination.
For more information on the pay equity audit, please visit the FIQ’s website and ask your local union representatives questions: https://www.fiqsante.qc.ca/en/issues/equity/