Due to the Coronavirus outbreak, the Government Equalities Office (GEO) and the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) have taken the decision to suspend enforcement of the gender pay gap deadlines for this reporting year (2019/20). The decision means there will be no expectation on employers to report their data.

In a joint statement, Minister for Women and Equalities, Liz Truss, and EHRC Chair, David Isaac, said:

“We recognise that employers across the country are facing unprecedented uncertainty and pressure at this time. Because of this we feel it is only right to suspend enforcement of gender pay gap reporting this year.”

Public sector employers were due to publish by 31 March and the private sector 4 April. Ordinarily, employers must publish their:

• mean gender pay gap;
• median gender pay gap;
• mean bonus gender pay gap;
• median bonus gender pay gap;
• proportion of males and females receiving a bonus payment; and
• proportion of males and females in each pay quartile.

In normal circumstances, the EHRC has the power to investigate employers that fail to report their gender pay gap data and could face an unlimited fine after court action.

More than 3,000 employers have already reported their data via the gov.uk website this year (26% of expected reporters) and the GEO will continue to provide support to employers in reporting their data, should they wish to do so.