Start preparing for your upcoming pay equity obligations now

As has been the case every five years since 2010, the year 2025 will bring about a new pay equity deadline for many organizations with employees in Quebec, who will be required to conduct a pay equity audit. The deadline for fulfilling your obligations is approaching and it’s time to prepare.

Since the legislative amendments in 2019, audits have become more complex, requiring organizations to identify events that may have generated new differences in compensation since they fulfilled their last obligations. A number of organizations will also have to implement a participation process. As there are specific challenges to overcome, such as difficulty in accessing data and the volume of events, organizations will need to anticipate and plan carefully.

The pay equity compliance process can take several months depending on the reality of each organization (number of pay equity plans in place, compensation practices, number and scale of events since the last audit, etc.).

By getting ahead of the game and planning the various steps of the audit, you’ll be stacking the odds in your favour when it comes to avoiding unforeseen setbacks and meeting the legal time limits.

Here are a few actions you can take to prepare in an optimal manner:

• Determine the precise deadline for your pay equity obligations in order to work out your schedule.
• Take stock of your current pay equity plans to obtain a clear overview.
• Determine whether a participation process will be necessary for your organization.
• List all events that have arisen since your last audit and identify those that could have an impact on pay equity.
• Check the traceability and accessibility of your salary data over the last five years, as this will be essential for a rigorous analysis.

You should also consider your pay equity obligations for your employees in other Canadian provinces. This is an ideal opportunity to ensure that your compensation practices comply with pay equity legislation in all of your places of business.

To help you navigate this sometimes lengthy and complex process, Normandin Beaudry can offer you personalized support from the assessment phase right through to the turnkey implementation of your pay equity audit. Since the introduction of the Pay Equity Act in 1996, we have assisted hundreds of organizations with their pay equity obligations. Our team of compensation specialists is the largest in Canada and will leverage their years of experience to help you move through the process with ease.

To discuss the best strategy for your organization’s reality, contact our specialists or write to us.