To: All OPSEU Bargaining Unit Staff
From: Joint Steering Committee (JSC)
Date: December 9, 2016
Re: Job Evaluation and Pay Equity Process
Under the Pay Equity Act of Ontario, CMHA WW and OPSEU are obligated to jointly develop and post a Pay Equity Plan for the members in the OPSEU bargaining unit. Both OPSEU and CMHA WW are committed to the Pay Equity process. This memo is to inform you of the pay equity process, progress made to date and next steps.
What is Pay Equity?
Pay Equity is equal pay for work of equal or comparable value. The Pay Equity Act was introduced by the provincial government to narrow the wage gap that may exist between jobs traditionally held by women and jobs traditionally held by men.
The law requires that the value of jobs usually done by women be compared to the value of jobs usually done by men. Female jobs that are found to be of equal or comparable value to male jobs must be paid at least the same.
Achieving pay equity is accomplished through a negotiated process between the employer and the bargaining agent. The content of jobs is compared, not the performance of the people doing the jobs. Jobs with similar duties and responsibilities, similar qualifications and recruiting practices, and the same compensation are grouped into job classes. These job classes are then identified as either female-dominated or male-dominated depending on the number of female and male employees in the jobs. Historical incumbency and gender stereotypes are also considered, or the job may be classified as “gender neutral”. Female job classes are then compared to male job classes based on the levels of skill, effort, responsibility and working conditions involved in performing the work. If a female job class is found to be of equal or comparable value to its male job class comparator, then the female job must be paid at least the same as the male job class comparator, per the Pay Equity Act
An employee’s pay cannot be lowered to achieve pay equity. All employees working in female job classes will receive pay equity adjustments if their job is found to be lower paid than the male comparator. The Pay Equity Act does not affect the compensation of male and gender neutral job classes.
Pay Equity Plan
Briefly, the Pay Equity Plan is a document that summarizes:
In addition, a Joint Job Evaluation Committee (JJEC) has been formed whose responsibility will be the evaluation of the job classes. Members from OPSEU and CMHA WW are outlined below:
From: Joint Steering Committee (JSC)
Date: December 9, 2016
Re: Job Evaluation and Pay Equity Process
Under the Pay Equity Act of Ontario, CMHA WW and OPSEU are obligated to jointly develop and post a Pay Equity Plan for the members in the OPSEU bargaining unit. Both OPSEU and CMHA WW are committed to the Pay Equity process. This memo is to inform you of the pay equity process, progress made to date and next steps.
What is Pay Equity?
Pay Equity is equal pay for work of equal or comparable value. The Pay Equity Act was introduced by the provincial government to narrow the wage gap that may exist between jobs traditionally held by women and jobs traditionally held by men.
The law requires that the value of jobs usually done by women be compared to the value of jobs usually done by men. Female jobs that are found to be of equal or comparable value to male jobs must be paid at least the same.
Achieving pay equity is accomplished through a negotiated process between the employer and the bargaining agent. The content of jobs is compared, not the performance of the people doing the jobs. Jobs with similar duties and responsibilities, similar qualifications and recruiting practices, and the same compensation are grouped into job classes. These job classes are then identified as either female-dominated or male-dominated depending on the number of female and male employees in the jobs. Historical incumbency and gender stereotypes are also considered, or the job may be classified as “gender neutral”. Female job classes are then compared to male job classes based on the levels of skill, effort, responsibility and working conditions involved in performing the work. If a female job class is found to be of equal or comparable value to its male job class comparator, then the female job must be paid at least the same as the male job class comparator, per the Pay Equity Act
An employee’s pay cannot be lowered to achieve pay equity. All employees working in female job classes will receive pay equity adjustments if their job is found to be lower paid than the male comparator. The Pay Equity Act does not affect the compensation of male and gender neutral job classes.
Pay Equity Plan
Briefly, the Pay Equity Plan is a document that summarizes:
- The gender neutral comparison system (GNCS) that is used to evaluate and compare jobs;
- The female-dominated jobs and their male comparators; and
- The results of the job analysis, including any financial adjustments that may be required to align the wages of female-dominated jobs to the wages of their respective male comparator.
In addition, a Joint Job Evaluation Committee (JJEC) has been formed whose responsibility will be the evaluation of the job classes. Members from OPSEU and CMHA WW are outlined below:
OPSEU Representatives: Julie Chambo Ruth Linnen Luis Quinteros Shannon Tobin Advisors: Sabrina De Girolamo, Staff Rep Ayla-Lisa Davey, Pay Equity Negotiator | CMHAWW Representatives: Jennifer Bechtel Jeffrey Breau Sarah Bumbaco Jennifer Gleeson Advisor: Mary Turan, Pay Equity Consultant |
What progress has been made?
The Joint Steering Committee has agreed on a Terms of Reference (TOR) and the Gender Neutral Comparison System (GNCS).
What are the next steps?
The Joint Steering Committee is in the process of finalizing the Job Information Questionnaire (JIQ), which is used in the job analysis and also the job classes and gender incumbency.
We will advise members as we progress through the major project milestones. These updates will come in the form of memos and will be maintained on the CMHA WW Intranet on the Orchard and Workplace Bulletin Boards. Employees will be notified on updates as they are posted.
The Joint Steering Committee has agreed on a Terms of Reference (TOR) and the Gender Neutral Comparison System (GNCS).
What are the next steps?
The Joint Steering Committee is in the process of finalizing the Job Information Questionnaire (JIQ), which is used in the job analysis and also the job classes and gender incumbency.
We will advise members as we progress through the major project milestones. These updates will come in the form of memos and will be maintained on the CMHA WW Intranet on the Orchard and Workplace Bulletin Boards. Employees will be notified on updates as they are posted.