''Enderby v Frenchay Health Authority'' (1992
C-127/92is an
EU labour law
European labour law regulates basic transnational standards of employment and partnership at work in the European Union and countries adhering to the European Convention on Human Rights. In setting regulatory floors to competition for job-creatin ...
, relevant for
UK labour law
United Kingdom labour law regulates the relations between workers, employers and trade unions. People at work in the UK can rely upon a minimum charter of employment rights, which are found in Acts of Parliament, Regulations, common law and equit ...
, that concerns the justification test for unequal pay between men and women.
Facts
Dr
Pamela Mary Enderby was a speech therapist. She received around 40% less pay than senior hospital pharmacists and clinical psychologists. She said she should have equal pay.
Tribunal held the difference came from different bargaining structures of the three professions, which were not in themselves discriminatory.
The Employment Appeal Tribunal
991
Year 991 (Roman numerals, CMXCI) was a common year starting on Thursday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar.
Events
* March 1: In Rouen, Pope John XV ratifies the first Peace and Truce of God, Truce of God, between ...
ICR 382 dismissed her appeal. The Court of Appeal made a reference to the ECJ asking whether the separate bargaining structures could be an objective justification under (what is now)
TFEU
The Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (TFEU) is one of two treaties forming the constitutional basis of the European Union (EU), the other being the Treaty on European Union (TEU). It was previously known as the Treaty Establishi ...
art 157. Also it asked whether it was the case that, ‘if the employer could establish that serious shortages in one of the comparator professions explained part, but not all, of the difference in pay, the whole or only part of that difference should be regarded as justified.’
Judgment
The ECJ in 1997
held that although the worker has the burden of proof, this cannot undermine enforcement of equal pay. Therefore when statistics show an appreciable difference between jobs of equal value, the burden passes to the employer to objectively justify the disparity.
See also
*
UK labour law
United Kingdom labour law regulates the relations between workers, employers and trade unions. People at work in the UK can rely upon a minimum charter of employment rights, which are found in Acts of Parliament, Regulations, common law and equit ...
*
UK employment equality law
United Kingdom employment equality law is a body of law which legislates against prejudice-based actions in the workplace. As an integral part of UK labour law it is unlawful to discriminate against a person because they have one of the "protected ...
*
Agenda for Change
Agenda for Change (AfC) is the current National Health Service (NHS) grading and pay system for NHS staff, with the exception of doctors, dentists, apprentices and some senior managers. It covers more than 1 million people and harmonises their pay ...
References
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United Kingdom labour case law
Court of Justice of the European Union case law
1992 in United Kingdom case law
European Union labour case law