Labor leader Anthony Albanese wants to name and shame companies that underpay women

Labor leader Anthony Albanese has revealed plans to name and shame companies that underpay women if Labor wins at the next federal election.

Mr Albanese today unveiled a four-point plan to close Australia's gender pay gap. He said women on average earn $242 per week less than men.

"The first is to legislate so that companies with more than 250 employees will have to report their gender pay gap publicly," he told a press conference on International Women's Day.

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He said companies already report the gender pay gap to the Workplace Gender Equality Agency, however at present no one knows the outcome of the reports.

"That makes no sense. It will be reported in both managerial and non- managerial pay components as well," he said.

Labor's plan would ban pay secrecy clauses and give employees the right to disclose their pay if they choose to do so.

"I think most Australians would find it extraordinary that there are clauses that prohibit people from saying what their working conditions are," he said.

"What that does, the secrecy clauses, is provide a handbrake as well so there can't be a comparison to see whether women and men doing exactly the same work I paid exactly the same amount."

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Mr Albanese also recommitted Labor to 10 days domestic violence leave, something he said was "essential".

"This is about safety, but it's also about good business practice," he said.

"Now, I acknowledge there are a whole range of businesses that do at least this already, including the big four banks, the major two airlines, Qantas and Virgin Australia… we want to make sure its across the board."

Meanwhile, during a question and answer session with the media Mr Albanese called for Linda Reynolds to quit over her handling of a staffer's alleged sexual assault.

The Defence Minister is on medical leave and will not return to Parliament this month on advice from her doctor.

Mr Albanese compared the embattled Senator's performance with that of former Australia Post CEO Christine Holgate.

Senator Reynolds apologised last week after calling Ms Higgins a "lying cow" in front of other staff members after the rape allegations were made public.

Ms Holgate stood down over a scandal involving four luxury Cartier watches given to executives.

"My view is on that day (Senator Reynolds) should have resigned or been removed from her position and it stands in stark contrast to the actions of the Prime Minister when it came to Ms Holgate," Mr Albanese said.

"Quite frankly, $20,000 of watches was an inappropriate expenditure, in my view, but the idea that that required, when the Prime Minister stood up in Question Time and essentially almost dismissed her on the spot, said she could go, the anger there, I find incongruous compared with the statement with regard to Linda Reynolds."

In a statement released today, Senator Reynolds confirmed her medical leave had been extended until April 2.

"Senator Reynolds has advised Prime Minister Scott Morrison of her doctor's assessment and will continue to consult with the Prime Minister as required," the senator's statement read.

Senator Reynolds hasn't appeared in Parliament since February 24, when she was admitted to a Canberra hospital because of a pre-existing heart problem.

In the lead up to her hospitalisation, the Senator faced intense scrutiny over her knowledge and actions surrounding the alleged rape of her former staffer Brittany Higgins in her office in March 2019.