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February 11, 2009

Fair pay bill riles businesses

By The Mainebiz News Staff

The business community has spoken out against a bill that would allow employees to compare their paychecks, saying it could foster resentment in the workplace.

LD 84, "An Act to Ensure Fair Pay," would outlaw retaliation against an employee for sharing salary information with coworkers. The bill's sponsor, Sen. Deborah Simpson, D-Auburn, told the Legislature's Labor Committee last week that the bill is designed to equalize pay for men and women by removing barriers that prevent women from knowing they're being discriminated against, according to the Statehouse News Service. Jim McGregor, a lobbyist for the Maine Merchants Association, said he supports equal pay, but salary and benefit levels can be based on many factors. "(This bill) has the real potential of creating dissent and unrest in the workplace without really accomplishing anything," he said, according to the news service. Peter Daigle, director of operations for Lafayette Hotels, which oversees 21 hotels in Maine, called the law's language "frighteningly broad."

William Peabody, director of the state Department of Labor's Bureau of Labor Standards, supported the bill, as did representatives from the Maine Women's Lobby, the Maine Civil Liberties Union, the WAGE Project and the Maine State Employees Association. The Labor Committee is scheduled to consider the legislation on Feb. 19.

 

Reader comments

From ZZZ

Hey! I've got a "Great Idea". In keeping with the coming socialist tsunami from our anointed officials in Washington DC, why not just drop everyone's pay to the lowest common denominator and "everyone" will be happy. It's only "fair". This worked so well in the Soviet Union. Oh, I forgot, they went and still are BANKRUPT! ... DOH :-(

From Sarah

Here is another example of the reasons why it is difficult to do business in Maine. There are many employers in the state that make every effort to pay everyone appropriately but wouild have to suffer the potential negative impact of yet another bad legislative endeavor to punish the few.
Also there will be fair pay laws at the federal level that will be passed that will force all of us to comply. Why must Maine duplicate and complicate every Federal law? We have enough thank you very much! How about addressing the tough stuff to get the State back on track like cutting government.

From Timothy

This bill has a Socialistic flavor that we all need to be careful not to fall into.  

From Sandra

Representative Simpson - what in the world are you thinking, with all the REAL issues in Maine??? Confident women know how to get the information they want or need. You should focus on a bonafide issue, and not on this 80's issue.  

From Ron

Let's just stop finding ways to have our lives controlled by government. Most people who want their wages divulged do it on their own. Spend your time finding solutions to the economic issues with-in our state.

From Ed

I agree with Sandra. People can find out the facts with out that much trouble if you can find no more important issues to deal with I'm the people in the business community can help. Like more common sense and less government interference and micro management. If you really want to help out the people take a long hard look at your retirement / health benefits which is covered by all the rest of us struggling with those issues.

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