Here's how you can start to close the gender pay gap from today

Imagine if your employer asked you as of today to work up until the end of the year for no pay. You'd hardly be likely to say yes.

However, that is a reality for women.

From Monday 9 November 2015 until the end of the calendar year, women in full-time employment are effectively working for free.

Despite the introduction of the Equal Pay Act in 1970, the Annual Survey of Hours and Earning by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) cites the pay gap between working men and women as 14.2 per cent,

At the current rate of progress it will take 50 years to close that void.

While David Cameron's government has pledged to "close the pay gap in a generation" the Fawcett Society believes more must be done to quicken the speed of change.

The charity's chief executive, Sam Smethers, said:

There has never been a better opportunity to close the pay gap for good. Progress has stalled in recent years but with real commitment for government and employers, together with action from women and men at work, we could speed up progress towards the day when we can consign it to history.

According to the Fawcett Society, here's what you can do to start closing the gender pay gap today:

• Have a conversation at work about pay, find out what your colleagues earn

• Ask your employer whether they know about the new regulations which are due to come in to force next year, requiring organisations with over 250 employees to publish their gender pay gap figure and whether they are ready to implement this change

• Write to your MP and ask them what they and their party are doing to close the gender pay gap

• Make your own pledge for equal pay day using #paygappledge

Happy equal pay day.

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