Fair pay law draws criticism

A new state law designed to ensure that women are paid as much as men for doing similar or identical work drew criticism from several Inland business owners this week.

The Fair Pay Act, which was signed into law Tuesday by Gov. Jerry Brown, mandates that employers can only pay a person higher wages based on seniority, higher production or better performance.

Brown’s action drew praise from women’s rights groups, which have railed for years about the allleged gender gap in pay.

But the state is stepping over the line when it tries to tell business owners how it should pay its employees, according one local business owner.

“The state should not be telling businesses how to operate, it should be doing whatever it can to help us get through this economy,” said Tony Rodriguez, president of Summerset Outdoor Living in Ontario.

Rodriguez, whose business sells patio and other outdoor furniture, said his business has its own standards for paying people and that a woman will be paid more than a man if her performance is superior.

“All businesses have their own standards for paying people,” Rodriguez said.

On average, a woman who is employed full-time for one year is paid 78 cents an hour for every dollar paid to a man who does the same work, according to the American Association of University Women, although that figure is in dispute.

The new law could result in fewer women being hired for certain jobs, said Jeff Baron, owner and president of Baron Services Inc. in Rancho Cucamonga.

“I really could see that happening,” said Baron, whose business cleans buildings and prepares them for occupancy immediately after construction is completed. “For us, it’s not an issue. If a woman does the job better she gets paid more.”