AUSTERITY economics could be distracting employers from closing the gender pay gap, an academic has claimed.

Addressing equal pay may no longer be a key concern to businesses because of cuts and financial restraints, according to a University of Brighton expert.

Professor Jackie O’Reilly, an expert in comparative employment relations at the University of Brighton said: “Monitoring and enforcement are more difficult in periods of economic turbulence, and especially for managerial categories with more individually negotiated pay settlements.

“However, the fact that many men now fall into sub-living wage conditions associated with female-dominated sectors this may create political pressure for action to raise wages at the lowest-end of the wage distribution and thus impact upon gender pay gaps in the future.”

Professor O’Reilly, director of the Centre for Research on Management and Employment (CROME) at the university’s business school, is speaking at a panel discussion on the issue to mark International Women’s Day, The discussion will highlight the achievements of legislation and policies, the actions of women themselves, and how the goal posts for achieving equal pay for women have moved over the past 40 years.

Other speakers will include Jason Kitcat, leader of Brighton and Hove City Council, who has been closely involved in negotiations of pay reforms, as well as Christine Lewis, of UNISON, Shelia Wild, of the EqualPay Portal, Dr Hazel Conley, of Queen Mary University and Duncan Brown, of Aon Hewitt Consulting.

It will be held on March 9, between 12midday and 3pm at the university’s Huxley Building in Moulsecoomb, Brighton.