Unequal Pay

[piggypigpig]

Name changed for this post.

Keen to understand what/if any is the real legal situation with regards to unequal pay. I have a co-worker and we both do the same job and both are top performers although I've been doing the job longer - for a number of years more, we were both promoted into these roles from within the company. Have reliably found out he is paid 25% more than me and on promotion he started at a higher base salary. Is this just one of these things and I have to live with it or find a new job or is there anything that can be done apart from just asking for more?

You are protected in law.
www.acas.org.uk/equal-pay

Is it hard to prove?

I mean if you are in the right salary range. My hr wouldn't let am argument fly about one person compared to another. But would argue you are in the right range

we need more infor really. Starting salary can depend on the circumstances of hiring . He may played hard ball at negotiation stage and asked for more than you or it may have been an employees market market when he was hired meaning they had to pay more to secure him. He may have had additional experience or qualifications , in a nut shell it's illegal if they pay him more because he is a man, it's not illegal if it's because of any of the others despite the fact that you both do the exact same job. Can be hard to prove though.

It is not against the law to pay people different amounts for doing the same job. The fact you've been doing the role longer does not automatically mean you should be paid more. If he is being paid more because he is a man, you have a case. However, as @lizzyBennet08 says, if your employer can argue that he is being paid more because he is better qualified than you, or for some other reason not connected with his sex, they are in the clear.