Equalities Minister, Harriet Harman has set out landmark plans to end discrimination, making it easier for women to demand equal pay.
The Cabinet Office refers to it as "positive action" rather than "positive discrimination" - but what does the new bill mean for working women?
According to Ms Harman, there is still a gender pay gap. Official figures show that for every pound a man earns, a woman still earns just 87 pence. Female part-time workers also still earn as much as 40% less than their full-time male counterparts; the new bill will make it illegal for contracts to have clauses which prevent colleagues discussing what they earn. There are proposals to make public organisations publish the gender pay gap within their organisation. The bill is also set to allow companies to take positive action in favour of female and ethnic minority candidates of equal ability, though companies would not be forced to do this.
There are concerns about how this will work in practice. Dianah Worman, diversity adviser at the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) explains that there isn't a one-size-fits-all solution.
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