This is one subject area I have much passion about. Any effort to keep gender bias out of the pay setting practices in the public and private sector employers is a good thing. Market rates are not a system of values — they are full of bias of all kinds. I sent a letter to the editor of the Star Tribune recently that got partially printed. Here are my reasons for not supporting the repeal of pay equity — a law that was passed in 1984:
The law continues to put money in the pockets of hard-working women working in public sector jobs.
The pay equity law requires employers to fairly treat their employees in terms of wage setting.
Other anti-discrimination laws require employees to sue their bosses to get fair pay. Minnesota’s pay equity law allows for correction without going to the disruption of expensive law suits.
Pay equity is based on the job’s value to an employer, regardless of gender, based on objective criteria such as know how, problem solving, accountability, and working conditions.
Jobs are paid based on their job value.
When patterns of paying women less than men for doing jobs of similar value employers (local units of governments) must make salary adjustments to comply with the law.