National Guidelines in the Netherlands - Equal Pay

Equal Pay Action Plan 2000

In addition to setting out research results, the policies of this Action Plan administered by the Ministry of Social Affairs and Employment may be summarised as follows:

• equal pay is strongly correlated to the general process of women’s emancipation;
• development of an instrument with which job evaluation schemes can be tested for sex-neutrality;
• research on whether/how equal pay can be guaranteed when new, more individual and flexible pay schemes are introduced;
• publicity for the equal treatment and equal pay legislation. This campaign will be partly based on the European equal pay code of practice;
• works councils, which have the legal duty to monitor the equality of men and women in their companies, will be targeted by a campaign especially directed at members;
• social partners will be stimulated to take up the issue of equal pay by being provided with extensive information on the topic it being included in the agenda of the regular meetings between the social partners and the Cabinet In addition, Government will ask the Labour Foundation and its equivalent in the public sector, the ROP for advice on the problem;
• the Government will offer to pay social partners for voluntary audits of their job evaluation systems; and,
• the Labour Inspectorate to continue to research this issue on a regular basis.
• if there is not enough progress, the Plan proposes measures such as formal standards and investigations under the Equal Treatment Act.

This information brochure of the Ministry of Social Affairs and Employment has the aim ensuring that the works council:

• puts the subject of equal pay on its own agenda and draws it to the attention of employers and employees alike;
• examines whether there is unequal pay (contrary to the law) in its own organisation and, if so, informs the employer of the unequal pay; and,
• in the event of unequal pay, takes concerted action with the employer to introduce equal pay in accordance with the law.

The brochure contains a step-by-step plan.