The Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission (“the Commission”) has provided legal assistance to a group of women involved in an equal pay claim under the Employment Equality Acts.
The women alleged that their former employer engaged in unequal practices as regards remuneration of employees and sought a resolution of the situation through legal means.
In bringing their claims, the women sought to raise awareness of the importance of equality in the workplace. With assistance from the Commission, the women settled their claims on terms satisfactory to both parties.
Sinéad Gibney, Chief Commissioner of the Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission stated:
“The Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission has been delighted to provide these committed women with legal assistance to challenge the terms on which they were paid.
“These complainants were motivated by a desire to improve not only their own situations, but the working conditions of female colleagues and women in the workplace generally.”
ENDS/
For further information, please contact:
Sarah Clarkin, IHREC Communications Manager,
01 8589641
Visit our website www.ihrec.ie or follow us on twitter and Instagram @_IHREC
Editor’s Note
Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission
The Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission is an independent public body, appointed by the President and directly accountable to the Oireachtas. The Commission has a statutory remit set out under the Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission Act 2014 to protect and promote human rights and equality in Ireland, and build a culture of respect for human rights, equality and intercultural understanding in the State.
The Commission is Ireland’s national human rights institution and is recognised as such by the United Nations. It is also Ireland’s national equality body for the purpose of a range of EU anti-discrimination measures.
Under its legal functions set out in the Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission Act 2014, the Commission can, in certain circumstances, provide legal assistance to a person who wishes to bring a matter of human rights or equality of treatment before the Courts or the Workplace Relations Commission.
Assistance under Section 40 of the Act means any or all of the following
- the provision, or the arranging for the provision of, legal advice to the applicant;
- the provision, or the arranging for the provision of, legal representation to the applicant
- the provision of such other assistance to the applicant as the Commission deems appropriate in the circumstances;