The Equal Pay and Flexible Working Bill is to have a second reading at the House of Lords today.

The bill would make it compulsory for equal pay audits to be carried out for employers found guilty of gender pay discrimination as well as requiring publication of the outcome, while extending the right to request flexible working to all parents of children aged 17 or younger.

If passed, the bill would go onto its committee stage.

Charles Cotton, reward adviser at the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD), says: “There are clear business benefits to conducting Equal Pay Reviews (EPR), but there is a lack of understanding amongst employers as to what those benefits are.

“Employees who feel unfairly treated are unlikely to be engaged and motivated to help the business succeed. Conversely, well-informed, fairly-treated employees are more likely to be powerful advocates and motivated contributors to the future success of their companies.”