Do men and women have equal pay rights?
How the answer differs across 4 jurisdictions
CanadaFull article Yes, under Canada’s Pay Equity Act, employers must ensure men and women receive equal pay for work of equal value — especially by increasing compensation for predominantly female job classes to achieve pay equity.
European UnionFull article EU law guarantees equal pay for equal work under the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union and the Equal Pay Directive. You have the right to claim the same pay as your male colleague doing the same or equivalent work.
Yes, it is illegal for your employer to pay men more than women for equal work in the UK. The Equality Act 2010 gives you the right to equal pay for equal work.
US FederalFull article No, your employer cannot pay women less than men for substantially equal work — that’s illegal under the Equal Pay Act of 1963, which amends the Fair Labor Standards Act.
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CanadaDoes my employer have to pay men and women equally for work of equal value?European UnionI'm paid less than my male colleague for the same job. What EU law protects me?
UKMy employer pays men more than women for equal work. Is this illegal?US FederalCan my employer pay women less than men for doing the same job?Not legal advice. This article is general information based on publicly available sources, written for educational purposes. Laws change and individual situations vary. Consult a licensed attorney in your jurisdiction before acting on anything you read here. Last reviewed: June 2026.