Equality and diversity

5. Gender pay gap report 2020/21

Snapshot date: 31 March 2020

Date of publication: 27 April 2021

As an organization with more than 250 employees, we are required to publish an annual report showing the pay gap between our male and female employees.

The gender pay gap measures the difference between the average earnings of male and female employees, at a snapshot date, irrespective of their role or seniority.

Below are the six metrics we are required to publish, based on who we employed on 31 March 2020. These figures are significantly a product of, and influenced by, our operating model where cleaning and catering services are retained in-house.

We do not pay bonuses.

Employees on 31 March 2020  

Mean gender pay gap (hourly rate)

Women are paid 3.60% less than men

Median gender pay gap (hourly rate)

Women are paid 0.94% less than men

Mean bonus pay gap

Not applicable – Oldham Council does not pay bonuses

Median bonus pay gap

Not applicable – Oldham Council does not pay bonuses

Proportion of men and women who receive bonus

Not applicable – Oldham Council does not pay bonuses

The proportion of men and women according to quartile pay bands:

This table illustrates the gender distribution across four equally sized quartiles, each containing 663/664 employees:

 

Males 

Females

Upper Quartile

32%

68%

Upper Middle Quartile

31%

69%

Lower Middle Quartile

42%

58%

Lower Quartile

18%

82%

Action to address the Gender Pay Gap

Oldham Council is committed to the principles of equality across the borough and within the workforce.

  • 10 of the 14 members of the Council’s Senior Leadership team including the Chief Executive are female
  • The mean and median pay gap has decreased since the last reported year for the second time in a row
  • Oldham Council operates a transparent pay structure and job evaluation scheme, negotiated with the Trade Unions, which ensures equal pay for employees doing the same role
  • Oldham Council has a comprehensive range of flexible working options to support employees in progressing their career regardless of family and life circumstances

In order to reduce the gap further and maintain our commitment to equal pay we will:

  • Continue to monitor and review our gender pay gap
  • Review career pathways for all employees to ensure that there are clear career progression routes for employees in all types of job role.
  • Ensure that workforce is key strand of the Council’s Equality and diversity Strategy
  • Review our recruitment practices to ensure equal opportunity at all stages
  • Improve work place flexibility for all by continuing to:
  • Advertise and offer where possible flexible options e.g. part time, remote working, compressed hours
  • Champion and promote the use of agile working

I confirm that the published information in relation to the gender pay gap is accurate.

Dr. Carolyn Wilkins OBE

Chief Executive

Oldham Council