Large employers who've missed the deadline for reporting on their gender pay gap have been given extra time to comply - but they've been told they've entered the "last chance saloon" to avoid penalties.

Private and voluntary sector employers with 250 or more staff were required to report the information by 4 April.

The Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) is now writing to those who missed the deadline to tell them they have a further 28 days to submit their figures before an investigation takes place and an unlawful act notice is issued. 

Failure to comply with the regulations will ultimately lead to an unlimited fine decided by the courts.

Rebecca Hilsenrath, EHRC Chief Executive said: "Those who haven't reported really are entering the last chance saloon. This is not optional; it is the law and we will be fully enforcing against all companies that do not report.

"This legislation is in place to bring about better gender equality in the workplace and any employer not complying needs to ask themselves tough questions, re-think their priorities, be prepared for serious reputational damage, and be ready to face a very unhappy workforce."

The EHRC calculates that the gender pay gap is currently running at 18.4%.

The requirement currently only applies to large employers, but it shows the importance the government attaches to equality in the workforce. Smaller employers may also wish to ensure their employment policies are up to date and reflect current requirements.

For further advice on any of the issues raised in this article, or for employment law advice more generally, please contact JPP Law on 020 3468 3064 or email info@jpplaw.co.uk