After the private sector, a professional equality index expected for 2023 in the public service

A tool for measuring equality between women and men, the professional equality index will be introduced in the public service from 2023 after being introduced in 2019 in the private sector, the government announced on Tuesday March 7. “We are going to introduce for the public service the equal pay index that has existed until now for the private sector”declared the Minister of Public Service Stanislas Guerini in the National Assembly, confirming comments made a few hours earlier in an interview with the newspaper Release(article subscribers).

“This index will be a valuable tool to point out inequalities and above all to get all public employers moving”he continued, before mentioning a legislative amendment “by summer”. The index will measure “unequal pay, promotion, but also those concerning management positions”, detailed the Ministry of Public Service. It will apply to the State civil service from 2023 before being extended to the territorial and hospital sides of the public sector in 2024.

Women’s pay 12% lower than men’s

According to the latest figures available, women represent nearly two-thirds of the 5.7 million public officials in France, but occupy only 43% of the best paid and most prestigious jobs. The remuneration of women is 12% lower than that of men (the gap rises to 15% in the private sector). Since 2020, on March 1 of each year, all companies with more than 50 employees must publish their score obtained the previous year under the professional equality index.

This score out of 100 includes five criteria: the difference in remuneration, annual increases and promotions, increases on return from maternity leave and the share of women in the ten highest salaries. When the score is below 75, the company must take action within three years.

Also in the civil service, “Financial sanctions will be imposed on administrations that do not publish the index or do not take corrective measures within three years”, the ministry said. According to a recent study carried out by the Institute of Public Policy for the CFDT, the professional equality index has however only had a limited effect in the private sector.