Topic:Wilson Bros case study
Subject:Human resource management
Volume: 2 pages
Type: Case study
Format:MLA
Description
Use the following textbook Employment Law Kathryn Filsinger, 2015. Employment Law for Business and Human Resources Professionals, 3rd edition. Emond Montgomery Publications. ISBN 9781552395950
Discussion Assignment 4
Pay Equity (5%)
Instructions
1. Read the following scenario in the context of the Wilson Bros case study you read in Module 1.
2. Consider the issues in this scenario as they relate to independent contractors and employees. Review the topic in your textbook if necessary.
3. Read the questions below and answer all of them briefly. In addition provide comments to at least two other students’ postings.
4. Go to the Graded Discussion Board before the due date, locate this topic thread, and enter your contribution to the discussion. Be sure to make references to material from the textbook, since part of your grade is for demonstrating your understanding of the information you read.
5. You should avoid repeating anything anyone else has said, or saying “me too” (or equivalent). Your aim is to provide insight and demonstrate your knowledge of the topic. Limit each contribution to maximum 250 words. You can always come back and add more to the discussion later.
6. Return often to read the responses to your contribution. Add more information and insights, and participate politely and encouragingly in the conversation. If you think your initial contribution was weak, continue participating in the conversation until you start making more solid contributions. Keep in mind that you’re being graded on your professionalism and your communication skills, as well as your information and insights. (See grading rubric below.)
7. Contributions to the graded discussion must be posted by midnight on the due date.
THE SALLY ATHWAL CASE SCENARIO
Sally Athwal is an executive assistant reporting directly to the VP Sales–Retail in the Toronto office of Wilson Bros. Her job has lots of responsibility and independent decision making, and for 10 years, Sally has worked hard in her role to contribute to the retail sales performance; however, at $40,000 per year, she feels she is significantly underpaid, given her importance to her department.
Sally is one of three female executive assistants reporting to VP’s in the Toronto office. While she is not totally sure, she thinks that with her 10 years’ experience and a stellar work record, she is probably the highest paid of that group.
She has heard the term “Equal Pay for Equal Work” and knows that it comes from the Employment Standards Act; but she doesn’t find this concept helpful, since there are no male executive assistants on site to compare wages.
Sally has also heard of something called the Pay Equity Act, which is supposed to address the wage gap between her job and male dominated jobs, but she is not sure of the impact of that legislation; and she is not aware of any company policies or programs that deal with pay equity. She is pretty sure though that if her job was properly evaluated against some of the male-dominated job classes within Wilson Bros., the process would reveal a major wage discrepancy. She is well aware, for example, that just down the hall, the IT department pays their Programmer/Analysts about $80,000 per year. But they are virtually all men.
She thinks her job carries far more responsibility than a Programmer/Analyst. She knocks on your door to start a discussion about raising her pay.
Questions:
1. What is the difference between Equal Pay for Equal Work and Equal Pay for Work of Equal Value? Explain how that/those difference(s) are important for Sally’s case.
2. As Director of Human Resources at the Toronto office, you have to deal with Sally’s complaint. What processes do you need to put into place – in the short term and in the longer term? Why?
3. Let’s say, hypothetically, that a formal gender-neutral job evaluation demonstrated that the Executive Assistant and Programmer/Analyst at Wilson Bros. are both worth 750 points, which puts them at a salary grade of $72,000 – $82,000). What implications can be drawn from this? What decisions and actions would you make/take as a result?
4. What would advise Wilson Bros. to do to ensure that Pay Equity is achieved throughout the company?
Reply to Emily
1. Equal Pay for Equal Work is a law that “requires employers to pay women and men at the same rate if they are performing substantially the same kind of work, in the same establishment, using substantially the same skills and effort, excreting substantially the same responsibility, and working under similar conditions” (Filsinger, 2015, p. 288). On the other hand, Equal Pay for Work of Equal Value “requires employers to compare totally different jobs and ascertain whether they are in equal value. A comparison is made between the value of the jobs, not their content” (Flisinger, 2015, p. 289).
In Sally’s case, the differences are extremely important because Sally is comparing her job value and responsibilities to the job value and responsibilities of someone who is working in a different department, doing a different job. The other employees in the same position as Sally are all women, which means that Equal Pay for Equal Work would not apply in Sally’s case.
2. As the Director of Human Resources, for the short term I would launch a gender-neutral job evaluation and make sure that she is aware that we are taking her complaint very seriously. During the evaluation, I would look at four factors: skill, effort, responsibility, and working conditions (Filsinger, 2015, p. 293). For the long term, I would prepare and implement a plan for correcting unequal wages, as required (Filsinger, 2015, p. 291). Sally may also submit a complaint to the Pay Equity Commission because Sally believes thats her employers current pay equity plan is not longer appropriate (Filsinger, 2015, p. 292).
3. If, after the gender-neutral job evaluation, the two positions came back with the same amount of points, which puts them in the salary range of $72,000-$82,000, I would assume that Sally’s wage would be adjusted immediately to meet these standards. The other women working at the same position as Sally would also receive this wage increase.
4. Going forward, I would advise Wilson Bros. to follows the six steps that the Pay Equity Commission has identified to achieve pay equity. The six steps are as follows: 1. Identify establishments, 2. Identify gender-dominant jobs, 3. Select a gender-neutral evaluation system, 4. Compare female and male job classes, 5. Prepare and post pay equity plan, and 6. May pay adjustments (Filsinger, 2015, p. 292-295).
Reply to Rajneek
what is the difference between Equal Pay for Equal Work and Equal Pay for Work of Equal Value? Explain how that/those difference(s) are important for Sally’s case.
Equal pay for equal work means that regardless of gender, an employee should make the same as someone else doing the same job. Equal Pay for Equal work pertains to legislation in the Employment Standards Act. It requires that a male and female in the same job be paid the same wage. Equal Pay for Work of Equal Value is legislation under the Pay Equity Act. As per Employment Standards Act, employers must pay men and women the same rate if they are performing substantially the same kind of work in the same establishment, their performance requires the same skill, effort and responsibility and they work under similar conditions. (Filsinger, pg 288). In this case, this policy does not apply to Sally as there are no males to compare too in the same job as her However, however the pay equity act(equal pay for equal value work) would pertain to this case.
2. As Director of Human Resources at the Toronto office, you have to deal with Sally’s complaint. What processes do you need to put into place – in the short term and in the longer term? Why?
As a Director of Human Resources, the first process would be to use a gender-neutral job assessment to evaluate all the jobs within the company to determine the value of each position to ensure that the positions are compensated adequately. For a long term goal, it is important to develop a Pay Equity Plan if not already in place. This would decrease wage gaps and ensure that employees are getting paid equally.
3. Let’s say, hypothetically, that a formal gender-neutral job evaluation demonstrated that the Executive Assistant and Programmer/Analyst at Wilson Bros. are both worth 750 points, which puts them at a salary grade of $72,000 – $82,000). What implications can be drawn from this? What decisions and actions would you make/take as a result?
You are able to determine that there is a wage gap between the two jobs. The actions that I would make is to ensure there is a fair and formal seniority system and a fair merit compensation plan based on formal performance ratings. Employer should not just go ahead and adjust the wage gap and provide Sally more compensation or lower the compensation of other jobs. It is important to recognize the reasons for the gap and ways to change it going forward.
What would advise Wilson Bros. to do to ensure that Pay Equity is achieved throughout the company?
I would advise Wilson Brothers to develop a Pay Equity Plan to provide to the employees and ensure that it follows all the requirements for the Pay Equity Legislation. I think it is important to have knowledge of the Pay Equity Plan just as much as the employer. Pay Equity Plan would ensure there is consistency between wages and avoiding as many complaints as possible from employees.
