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Several major clothing and jewellery brands that claim to empower and inspire women have some of the worst gender pay gaps in favour of men among large Australian companies.
Nationally, the median base salary pay gap is 14.5 per cent, but when all payments including bonuses and superannuation are included, the pay gap grows to 19 per cent.
Gender pay gap data from the Workplace Gender Equality Agency shows that in the retail trade industry, the median total remuneration pay gap is much lower, at 7.1 per cent.
But several Australian retail favourites including plus-sized fashion brand City Chic, jewellery store Pandora and clothing brand Forever New had large median pay gaps in favour of men. They had a higher proportion of men in senior management than more junior roles, while women made up the bulk – or all – of their storefront workers.
On its website, activewear brand Lorna Jane says: “We live and breathe to inspire women.”
But the brand, which employs 1382 women and 47 men, has a median total remuneration pay gap of 37 per cent.
The company’s lawyers said in a statement the pay gap was the difference in average earnings between its men and women. Men and women were paid the same rate for the same jobs.
“As one of Australia’s leading women’s activewear manufacturers, Lorna Jane’s retail team, across its network of 101 stores, is 100 per cent female...