One payroll firm says that the gender gap between what a male contract worker earns in comparison to a female one is rapidly disappearing.
It used to be that male freelancers, contractors, and umbrella company workers earned significantly more than their female counterparts, according to payroll company Parasol. However, the payroll firm has recently said that October pay rates have revealed that pay rates for female freelancers have crept up to be virtually indistinguishable from male freelancers on a national level.
The average national pay disparity shrunk to levels that are practically negligible, said Derek Kelly, managing director for Parasol. The report also found that there are some regions such as Scotland, the South West, and the North East, where the traditional pay gap has actually reversed, with men now earning almost £4 less than women.
The average earnings of women have made substantial ground when compared to their levels 12 months ago, said Mr Kelly, which is a pleasant change from being unfairly compensated for their expertise and their skills. The average disparity between hourly rates dropped by more than £1 since October 2011, leading the national hourly rate for male umbrella workers to stand at £31 for men and £29.86 for women – a difference of £1.14.
Annually, the average pay gap is just a bit in excess of £2,000, with typical earnings for men standing at £60,430 while those for women with commensurate levels of skill and experience stand at £58,227.
