Think you're paid less than male colleagues? Here's what you can do

The gap is real, but your situation is specific

International organisations such as the OECD and ILO consistently report a gender pay gap in almost every country, driven by many factors: women being concentrated in lower-paid sectors, career breaks for caregiving, fewer promotions, and sometimes plain unequal pay for the same work.

That last part is what you can act on directly. In many countries it is unlawful to pay a woman less than a man for the same work, similar work, or work of equal value. The details, deadlines and remedies differ by country, so check the rules where you live.

How to check whether you're underpaid

You may not have perfect information, but you can build a clear picture:

• Pay bands: ask HR whether your organisation has salary bands and where you sit in yours.
• Job adverts: look at ads for your role at your employer and competitors, especially ones that list pay.
• Peer data: compare anonymous salaries shared by women in similar roles on TrustFem's /pay page.
• Colleagues: in many places you're legally allowed to discuss your own pay with coworkers. A simple "Would you be open to comparing salaries? I'm trying to check we're being paid fairly" can be powerful.
• Pay transparency rules: some countries and regions now require employers to publish pay ranges or gender pay gap reports, or give you the right to request pay information.

Gather your evidence quietly first

Before you raise anything, create a private record. Keep it somewhere your employer can't access, such as a personal device or notebook (not your work laptop or email).

• Your contract, job description and payslips
• Notes on what your male comparator does and how it matches your work
• Any written evidence of his pay (an email, offer letter he shared, a published band)
• Your performance reviews and achievements
• Dates and notes of any relevant conversations

Focus on work of equal value: the skills, effort, responsibility and conditions involved, not just job titles.

Raising it with your employer

Start with a conversation if you feel safe doing so. Keep it factual and non-accusatory.

Script: "I'd like to talk about my pay. From what I understand, colleagues in comparable roles are being paid more than me. Could you explain how my salary was set and what criteria are used, and can we review it?"

If that doesn't resolve it, follow up in writing: "Following our conversation on [date], I'm writing to formally raise a concern that I'm paid less than male colleagues doing equivalent work. Please let me know the steps for reviewing this."

A written record matters if you need to escalate. Many employers have a formal grievance process; ask for a copy.

Getting outside help

If your employer won't engage, you have options:

• Your union, if you have one, can advise and often represent you.
• Government equality or labour bodies in many countries offer free guidance on equal pay.
• Employment lawyers or legal aid clinics can assess whether you have a claim. Some offer free first consultations.
• Time limits: legal claims often have strict deadlines, sometimes only months. Get advice early.

It is usually unlawful to punish someone for raising an equal pay concern in good faith. If you're treated badly after speaking up, note it down; that can be a separate issue.

If it's not unlawful, it may still be negotiable

Sometimes the gap comes from a man negotiating harder at hiring, or from a pay freeze that hit you but not him. Even where the law doesn't help, the facts give you leverage for a raise conversation. See our salary negotiation guide for scripts, and remember you can also look for an employer that publishes transparent pay ranges.