The Workplace Relations Commission (WRC) recently considered the issue of equal pay under the Employment Equality Acts 1998-2021 in the case of Paula Reid v Teagasc ADJ-00028084.

Background

The Complainant worked as a statistician and commenced employment with the Respondent in January 1977. She claimed she had been discriminated against on the grounds of gender when she was not provided with equal pay compared to a named male comparator, another statistician. The case came on for hearing in November 2021.

The Complainant's Argument

The Complainant claimed that she performed like work to the male comparator, but received substantially less pay, approximately €20,000 less per annum. She argued that her job description was the same as her comparators, their duties