34-06.1 Equal Pay for Men and Women
Download pdf
Loading PDF...
<![CDATA[CHAPTER 34-06.1EQUAL PAY FOR MEN AND WOMEN34-06.1-01. Declaration of public policy. The public policy of this state is declared tobe that the practice of discriminating on the basis of sex by paying wages to employees of one<br>sex at a lesser rate than the rate paid to employees of the opposite sex for comparable work on<br>jobs which have comparable requirements unjustly discriminates against the person receiving the<br>lesser rate; leads to low worker morale, high turnover, and frequent labor unrest; discourages<br>workers paid at the lesser wage rates from training for higher level jobs; curtails employment<br>opportunities, decreases workers' mobility, and increases labor costs; impairs purchasing power<br>and threatens the maintenance of an adequate standard of living by such workers and their<br>families; prevents optimum utilization of the state's available labor resources; threatens the<br>well-being of citizens of this state; and adversely affects the general welfare.It is thereforedeclared to be the policy of this state through exercise of its police power to correct and, as<br>rapidly as possible, to eliminate discriminatory wage practices based on sex.34-06.1-02. Definitions. In this chapter, unless the context or subject matter otherwiserequires:1."Commissioner" means the labor commissioner.2."Employ" includes to suffer or permit to work.3."Employee" means any individual employed by an employer, including individuals<br>employed by the state or any of its political subdivisions, including public bodies.4."Employer" means any person acting directly or indirectly in the interest of an<br>employer in relation to one or more employees of each sex.5."Occupation" includes any industry, trade, business or branch thereof, or any<br>employment or class of employment, but does not include domestic employment in<br>private homes.6."Person" includes one or more individuals, partnerships, corporations, limited liability<br>companies, legal representatives, trustees, trustees in bankruptcy, or voluntary<br>associations.7."Wage rate" means all compensation for employment, including payment in kind and<br>amounts paid by employers for employee benefits, as defined by the commissioner<br>in regulations issued under this chapter.34-06.1-03.Prohibition of discrimination. No employer may discriminate betweenemployees in the same establishment on the basis of gender, by paying wages to any employee<br>in any occupation in this state at a rate less than the rate at which the employer pays any<br>employee of the opposite gender for comparable work on jobs which have comparable<br>requirements relating to skill, effort, and responsibility. Differentials that are paid pursuant to<br>established seniority systems, job descriptive systems, merit increase systems, or executive<br>training programs, and which do not discriminate on the basis of gender, are not within this<br>prohibition. An employer who is paying a wage differential in violation of this chapter may not, in<br>order to comply with this chapter, reduce the wage rates of any employee. No person may<br>cause or attempt to cause an employer to discriminate against any employee in violation of this<br>chapter. No employer may discharge or discriminate against any employee by reason of any<br>action taken by the employee to invoke or assist in any manner the enforcement of this chapter,<br>except when proven that the act of the employee is fraudulent.34-06.1-04. Powers of commissioner. The commissioner has the power and duty tocarry out the provisions of this chapter and for this purpose, the commissioner, or the<br>commissioner's authorized representative, has power to:Page No. 11.With the consent of the employer or upon appropriate court order, for cause, enter<br>the place of employment of any employer to inspect and copy payrolls and other<br>employment records, to compare character of work and operations on which<br>persons employed by the employer are engaged, to question such persons, and to<br>obtain such other information as is reasonably necessary to the administration and<br>enforcement of this chapter.2.Examine witnesses under oath, and to require by subpoena the attendance and<br>testimony of witnesses and the production of any documentary evidence relating to<br>the subject matter of any investigation undertaken pursuant to this section.3.Eliminate pay practices unlawful under this chapter, by informal methods of<br>conference, conciliation and persuasion, and to supervise the payment of wages<br>owing to any employee under this chapter.4.Issue such regulations, not inconsistent with the purpose of this chapter, as the<br>commissioner deems necessary or appropriate to carry out its provisions.Witnesses summoned by the commissioner or the commissioner's authorized representative<br>must be paid the same fees as are allowed witnesses attending the district courts of this state. In<br>the event of the failure of a person to attend, testify, or produce documents under or in response<br>to a subpoena, the court on application of the commissioner or the commissioner's<br>representative may issue an order requiring said person to appear before the commissioner or<br>authorized representative, or to produce documentary evidence, and any failure to obey such<br>order of the court may be punished by the court as a contempt thereof.34-06.1-05. Collection of unpaid wages and other relief. Any employer who violatesthe provisions of section 34-06.1-03 is liable to the employee or employees affected in the<br>amount of their unpaid wages and in instances of willful violation in employee suits up to an<br>additional equal amount as liquidated damages.Action to recover such liability may bemaintained in any court of competent jurisdiction by any one or more employees for and in behalf<br>of the employee or group of employees and other employees similarly situated. The court in<br>such action shall, in cases of violation in addition to any judgment awarded to the plaintiff or<br>plaintiffs, allow a reasonable attorney's fee to be paid by the defendant, and costs of the action.<br>An agreement by any such employee to work for less than the wage to which such employee is<br>entitled under this chapter is not a bar to any such action or to a voluntary wage restitution of the<br>full amount due under this chapter. At the written request of any employee claiming to have<br>been paid less than the wage to which the employee may be entitled under this chapter, the<br>commissioner may bring any legal action necessary in behalf of the employee to collect such<br>claim for unpaid wages. The commissioner may not be required to pay the filing fee, or other<br>costs, in connection with such action. The commissioner has the power to join various claims<br>against the employer in one claim for relief. In proceedings under this section, the court may<br>order other affirmative action as appropriate, including reinstatement of employees discharged in<br>violation of this chapter. The commissioner has the power to petition any court of competent<br>jurisdiction to restrain violations of section 34-06.1-03, and for such affirmative relief as the court<br>may deem appropriate, including restoration of unpaid wages and reinstatement of employees,<br>consistent with the purpose of this chapter.34-06.1-06. Statute of limitations. Court action under this chapter may be commencedno later than two years after the claim for relief occurs.34-06.1-07. Records and reporting. Every employer subject to this chapter shall make,keep, and maintain such records of the wages and wage rates, job classifications, and other<br>terms and conditions of employment of the persons employed by the employer, and shall<br>preserve such records for such periods of time, and shall make such reports therefrom as the<br>commissioner prescribes.34-06.1-08. Posting of law. Repealed by S.L. 1997, ch. 296, </p>
<BR></DIV><!-- /.col.one --><!-- /.col.two --></DIV><!-- /.col.main --></DIV><!-- /div id = content -->
<BR class=clear></DIV>
<!-- /div id = livearea -->
<DIV></DIV><!-- /.col.one -->
<DIV></DIV><!-- /.col.main -->
<DIV></DIV><!-- /#content --><BR class=clear>
<DIV></DIV><!-- /#livearea -->
<!-- Footer-->
<DIV id=footer>
<DIV class=container>
<P class=copyright>Copyright © 2012-2022 Laws9.Com All rights reserved. </P><!-- /.copyright -->
<P class=footerlinks><A
href="/contactus.html">Contact Us</A> | <A href="/aboutus.html">About Us</A> | <A
href="/terms.html">Terms</A> | <A
href="/privacy.html">Privacy</A></P><!-- /.footerlinks -->
</DIV><!-- /.container -->
</DIV><!-- /footer -->
</BODY></HTML>
]]>