Dr. Parbudyal Singh

The applicant employer sought a hearing before the Pay Equity Hearings Tribunal regarding a Review Officer's order concerning the maintenance of pay equity using the proxy method of comparison.

The Tribunal was tasked with specifying procedures to ensure employees who established pay equity through the proxy method continue to have access to male comparators for maintenance, following a Court of Appeal decision.

The Tribunal held that an organization that established its pay equity plan using the proxy method must continue to use it for maintenance unless changed circumstances under section 14.1 of the Pay Equity Act permit another method.

The Tribunal directed the parties to identify a proxy employer, request information, evaluate key female job classes, and determine whether any pay equity gaps have re-emerged, noting that arguments regarding non-discriminatory factors for pay differentials should be addressed under section 8 of the Act.

The Pay Equity Hearings Tribunal issued a procedural order scheduling the cross-examinations of three expert witnesses.

The respondent filed expert reports from Dr. Pat Armstrong and Dr. Richard Shillington, while the Pay Equity Office filed a report from Dr. Parbudyal Singh.

The Tribunal set specific dates in January 2025 for the cross-examinations to be conducted via video hearing and extended the deadline for reply submissions.