Ensuring Pay Scale Equity at Applied Science University (Bahrain)

ASU’s Policy on Pay Equity and Non-Discrimination

Applied Science University (ASU) in Bahrain has a formal commitment to equitable pay and non-discrimination in its employment policies. The university’s Payroll Policy and Bylaws explicitly uphold pay scale equity, ensuring all staff are remunerated fairly without gender-based disparity. In practice, ASU’s salaries are determined by objective criteria (such as merit, qualifications, experience, and length of service) rather than personal characteristics [1]. ASU’s Pay Equity Policy guarantees equal pay for equal work (including work of equal value), covering all forms of compensation (base salary, overtime, bonuses, benefits, etc.) and forbidding any unequal pay on the basis of gender or other protected traits [1] [2]. This policy is part of ASU’s broader commitment to equality: the university’s official Equality and Diversity Policy affirms that ASU will “eliminate discrimination against all… staff [and] students” regardless of gender, among other characteristics [3]. In summary, ASU’s internal regulations enshrine a zero-tolerance stance on gender discrimination in hiring, promotions, and pay, thereby formally ensuring that female and male employees are on the same pay scale for the same roles.

To promote transparency, ASU has also adopted a standardized salary scale for its academic and administrative staff. This pay scale is published and applied uniformly, and ASU emphasizes that it is free from any gender bias or other discrimination [1]. The university bases salaries on competitive benchmarks and merit, and it has a Total Remuneration Policy built on principles of fairness and internal equity. Notably, ASU’s remuneration framework explicitly “ensures the equity of pay for all staff regardless of their gender” [2]. This means female staff are assured their pay is equal to that of male colleagues in equivalent positions and performance brackets. Furthermore, all employment decisions (recruitment, training, promotion, and pay raises) are made with “absolute impartiality” and grounded in merit and performance, as per university policy [1].

Monitoring and Addressing the Gender Pay Gap

ASU not only declares a commitment to pay equity in principle, but also has mechanisms to monitor and close any gender pay gaps. According to its Pay Equity Policy, the university will:

• Conduct regular gender pay reviews – analyzing salary data by gender to check for disparities and “implement the actions arising from it”[1].
• Publish the results of these equal pay reviews to maintain transparency and accountability[1].
• Monitor ongoing practices in line with its diversity and equality policies, to ensure no emerging pay inequities[1].
• Address grievances – employees can inquire how their pay was determined and raise concerns; ASU commits to respond and rectify any justified pay equity issues[1].
• Train managers – those involved in hiring and salary decisions receive training to apply pay policies fairly and without bias[1].

Through these practices, ASU aims to measure and eliminate any gender-based wage gaps that might inadvertently arise [1]. The ultimate goal is to ensure “all staff receive equal pay for the same or equivalent work” in reality, not just on paper [1]. This proactive approach – auditing pay by gender and adjusting if necessary – reflects international best practices for closing the gender pay gap. It also boosts accountability: by committing to publish pay equity review results, ASU recognizes the importance of transparency in demonstrating pay parity.

–  Public Reporting

Internally, ASU tracks salary scales and outcomes by gender as part of its SDG monitoring [4]. However, as of now there is no publicly released gender pay gap report specific to ASU available on its website. The policies indicate that such data will be reviewed and shared internally (and possibly externally on request), but we did not find evidence of a standalone published report of ASU’s gender pay gap statistics. This suggests that while ASU’s commitment and internal mechanisms are in place, any gender pay gap identified is addressed within the university’s governance processes rather than via public disclosures. Notably, ASU’s standards for setting and reviewing pay are aligned with Bahraini labor regulations and are handled in an “open and transparent manner” consistent with those laws [5].

National Legal Framework and ASU’s Compliance

Bahrain’s national labor laws provide important context and requirements for gender pay equity, and ASU operates in full compliance with these laws. Under Bahrain’s Labour Law (Law No. 36 of 2012), Article 39 explicitly prohibits discrimination in wages on the basis of sex (along with origin, language, religion, or belief) [6]. In 2021, Bahrain strengthened this legal guarantee through Decree-Law No. 16 of 2021, which amended Article 39 to explicitly ensure equal remuneration for work of equal value between men and women [6]. In effect, the law now states that employers must pay male and female employees equally for the same or equivalent work; any discrimination in wages between genders for equal-value work is unlawful [6]. This reform earned Bahrain international recognition for “robust legislation on gender equality in the labour market,” including a perfect score on the World Bank’s pay equity indicator [7].

As a licensed higher education institution in Bahrain, ASU is bound by these labor laws and has incorporated their requirements into university policy. ASU explicitly affirms that it “abides by the laws of Bahrain” in all matters of staff employment and compensation [1]. The university’s internal policies on pay equity and non-discrimination were developed to mirror national law – for example, ASU’s Pay Equity Policy directly reflects the principle of “equal pay for equal work” mandated by Article 39. ASU also aligns with national initiatives like the National Plan for the Advancement of Bahraini Women, ensuring its internal regulations support the Kingdom’s goal of equal opportunity and pay for women [1]. In practical terms, ASU’s HR department and leadership enforce the “equal pay for equal work” rule and the prohibition of gender-based wage bias as legal and ethical obligations. The Total Remuneration Policy’s emphasis on non-discriminatory practices and internal equity further demonstrates ASU’s compliance with Bahrain’s equal pay legislation [2].

Finally, ASU benefits from oversight and guidance at the national level. Agencies like the Ministry of Labour and the Labour Market Regulatory Authority (LMRA) can audit or review employers for compliance. ASU’s transparent pay scale and unionized representation (the university has a workers’ syndicate) help ensure ongoing adherence to fair pay standards. By adhering to Bahrain’s labor law and collaborating with bodies such as the Supreme Council for Women on gender equity initiatives, ASU shows that its commitment to pay scale equity is not only a matter of internal policy but also a fulfillment of legal requirements and social commitments in Bahrain [6].

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