Equal pay was one of the major topics of the strike of June 14 in Switzerland. One year later, the new Equality Act requiring a verification of equal pay is about to come into force.
Thanks to the women’s strike, the representation of women in the government increased from 32 to 42% for the National Council and from 15 to 26% in the Council of States. This new government readily accepted the amendment to the Equality Act (LEg), to oblige companies with more than 100 employees to carry out a salary analysis. The new law will come into force on July 1 2020 and EQUAL-SALARY allows organizations to comply with it. Although the new Act is a much watered-down version of the original proposition, it sets a milestone for equal pay for women and men. Recently several politicians have presented motions that suggest that this law will probably be reinforced in the coming years.
As for the implementation of the LEg, the EQUAL-SALARY Foundation has asked the federal authorities to recognize the pioneering and responsible spirit of the EQUAL-SALARY certified organizations which have voluntarily adopted a more demanding approach than the LEg. Our wish is that our authorities will be sensitive to these arguments. (1) Let’s not forget that the goal sought by the new Equality Act is to accelerate equal pay between women and men. In this sense, EQUAL-SALARY certified companies have shown courage and willingness to take action for a fair business – and for that, we thank them.
By proposing a scientific solution through concrete action, the EQUAL-SALARY Foundation has been active for equal pay between women and men for the last 15 years. Together with the certified companies, it has since then become a worldwide reference, contributing in particular to the modification of the Equality Act in Switzerland.
Despite the COVID 19 crisis which delayed a number of procedures, several organizations have recently become EQUAL-SALARY certified. Among them: UBS in Switzerland, HES-SO Valais, Banca dello Stato del cantone Ticino and finally the Caisse de Compensation AVS Vaud, which obtained the certification for the second time in a row. Others will follow shortly, in Switzerland and abroad.
(1) The EQUAL-SALARY Foundation has written to Federal Council asking to reconsider the validity period of salary data. Unfortunately, our request has not been granted. See below the exchange (in French only).
