The BC government has introduced new legislation that, if passed, would force employers to include wages on job posts.
This development is part of a new government initiative to close BC’s gender pay gap, which according to a statement, is “the next step on the path to pay equity.”
If the legislation is passed, as of November 1, 2023, all employers must include wages or salary ranges on “all publicly advertised jobs.”
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“People deserve equal pay for equal work. We’ve been taking action to close the pay gap since 2017 with investments in child care and training and increases to the minimum wage,” reads a statement from the BC Ministry of Labour.
The news has gained a lot of traction and support on social media.
In a tweet, Vancouver City Councillor Peter Meiszner said, “Very supportive of this. Job seekers deserve transparency.”
Someone else tweeted, “This rules,” not to be outdone by someone else who tweeted, “This rules so hard.”
On top of sharing information about wages, if the legislation is passed, BC employers will also be required to post reports about gender pay gaps. This demand will be rolled out gradually, with BC Public Service Agency and Crown corporations with over 1,000 employees expected to publish their reports on November 1, 2023.
All employers with 1,000 employees or more will be required to post their reports on November 1, 2024.
“Everyone deserves fair working conditions. Being transparent about the wages an employer pays its workers brings us one step closer to reducing the gender pay gap,” said Harry Bains, BC Minister of Labour.
A press release from the BC government included some facts about the pay gap in BC.
According to StatsCan, women in BC earned 17% less than men in 2022. Average wages for men were 35.50 while women earned an average of $29.53, and the gap is even higher for Indigenous, racialized and “newcomer women.”
Will this new legislation change the way you search for jobs?
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