Pay Transparency Act

The new Pay Transparency Act, passed by the BC Government on May 11, 2023, places new requirements on employers to address systemic discrimination in the workplace.  SFU is required to collect gender data from their employees according to the new Gender and Sex Data Standard  to prepare a Pay Transparency Report, a requirement of the Pay Transparency Act

When employees can self-identify their gender, employers can engage with them in an inclusive, safe and respectful way.  The Gender and Sex Data Standard clarifies the difference between gender and sex by providing definitions that recognize all genders and serve our diverse population.

The Pay Transparency Report will be made public on our website annually on November 1st.

Frequently Asked Questions

MyINFO

How do I update my gender and other information on MyINFO?  

Log into your MyINFO account and click on the new "Gender” icon to make your update.  A step-by-step guide on How to Update Gender is available.

While you are in the MyINFO system, you can also update your emergency contact information, address and personal phone number if those have changed. 

How do I access MyINFO off campus? 

MyINFO is SFU's employee self-service system for faculty, staff and student employees. There, you can access employment information such as pay statements, vacation balances, T4/T4A statements and update important personal information such as your emergency contact, address and personal phone. MyINFO can be accessed at https://myinfo.sfu.ca

*Please note, if you are off campus, you will need to log into VPN before logging into MyINFO. 

How secure is the MyINFO platform?

SFU is committed to protecting your sensitive personal information. The MyINFO platform has been used at SFU for over 20 years and has strong security measures to protect your data.

Pay Transparency Act

What is the Pay Transparency Act, and what are the requirements?

The Pay Transparency Act, passed on May 11, 2023, in British Columbia, aims to reduce systemic pay discrimination by requiring employers to collect, report, and publish pay data by gender.  As a public institution, SFU is required to publish a Pay Transparency Report on our website by November 1st each year.

What is included in the Pay Transparency Report, and how is the data collected? 

The annual Pay Transparency Report outlines the mean and median differences between genders for hourly pay, overtime pay and bonus pay and will be shared on the SFU website when complete.  The report is compiled based on payroll data from the fiscal year (April 1 to March 31) and gender information voluntarily provided by employees. May 2024 marks the first time SFU invited employees to update their gender information in myINFO.

Why does SFU need to collect gender from its employees?

SFU is required to collect gender from its employees to comply with the Pay Transparency Act. Your data is collected only for the purposes of analysis for the Pay Transparency Report. This data helps create a more equitable work environment and will allow SFU to qualify for select government-funded programs that support equitable pay initiatives. 

Who can access the Pay Transparency Report? 

The Pay Transparency Report will be published on the SFU website annually on November 1st where anyone can access it.

What is the difference between sex and gender?

Sex is assigned at birth and most often based on physical attributes. Gender is how a person identifies as being a boy/man, girl/woman, a blend of both or neither. Gender involves a personal, internal sense of self.

The Gender and Sex Data Standard defines the difference between gender and sex.

Data Collection and Privacy

How will my gender data be used by SFU?

Your gender will only be used to prepare the Pay Transparency Report, which aims to identify and address any gender-based discrepancies in pay within the university.

Will my personal identifying information be included in the report?

No personal identifying information will be included in the report. When completing the gender update, a collection notice confirms that your data is only being collected for analysis purposes to complete the Pay Transparency Report.

What if I don't want to provide my gender?

Providing gender data is optional. If you choose not to disclose it, your pay information will still be included in the report, but your gender will be indicated as "unknown" in line with B.C.’s Gender and Sex Data Standard.

2024 Pay Transparency Report

What is the purpose of SFU’s 2024 Pay Transparency Report?

The report supports the university’s commitment to inclusive excellence, by providing a benchmark of pay equity across gender categories. It enables SFU to identify pay gaps, develop targeted strategies for equity, and support transparency in its compensation practices to create a fair and inclusive workplace.

Why is there no data available for bonus pay in the 2024 report?

SFU does not offer bonuses / monetary incentives as part of our total compensation.

In the 2024 report, why is there a difference in mean hourly pay between men, women, and non-binary employees at SFU?

The mean hourly pay gap indicates that, on average, women earn 12% less and non-binary employees earn 17% less than men. These gaps can derive from various factors such as differences across employee groups, job levels, and individual circumstances. SFU is committed to examining these factors to identify and address any underlying issues.

In the 2024 report, what percentage of each gender group receives overtime pay, and what does this indicate?

About 8% of men, 6% of women, and 5% of employees in the “Prefer not to say/Unknown” category received overtime pay. Overtime work is more common among men, particularly in unionized, trades-related positions where overtime rates are standardized. Women, on average, work fewer overtime hours than men, resulting in lower total overtime pay.

What are the factors affecting the distribution of employees across pay quartiles in the 2024 report?

Employees in the “Prefer not to say/Unknown” category occupy a large proportion of the lower pay quartiles, likely influenced by the presence of employees in temporary or part-time roles, such as students and casual workers.

Does SFU have equal pay policies for unionized and non-unionized employees?

Yes, unionized employees at SFU are compensated equally for performing similar work, in accordance with standardized wage scales outlined in collective agreements. For non-unionized employees, pay may vary based on performance, experience, and tenure, which lead to differences in individual pay.

What other steps are SFU taking to address pay gaps?

SFU is committed to pay equity, reducing systemic barriers, and closing gender gaps wherever possible. Over the past few years, the university has undertaken various data-informed initiatives, including using market compensation surveys to guide salary decisions, providing additional labor market adjustments for trades positions during the last round of collective bargaining, launching the Equity Compass framework to guide strategic EDI efforts, introducing the People Plan to leverage data in identifying opportunities to enhance employee experiences, and recently initiating a Demographic and Diversity Data Survey to help advance inclusive excellence and track progress on institutional priorities.

Questions

If you have any further questions, please contact compensation@sfu.ca.