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The Austin Utilities is a municipal gas, water, and electric utility, We are <br />governed by a five person elected commission, and also a very traditional <br />governmental service organization. The Austin Utilities has approximately 105 <br />employees. Approximately 90 are male and are the construction and operations <br />people while being predominately union. Approximately 15 are female and are <br />generally the office personnel and non-union. <br />In 1984, the State of Minnesota passed a local government pay equity law <br />(MS 471.991-471.999) establishing a pay equity policy and procedure. The intent of <br />this equity law is to eliminate sex based wage disparities in Minnesota public <br />employment circles. Although this legislation has eliminated sex-based wage <br />disparities, it has created a financial burden to public employers and has caused <br />considerable conflict inside and outside Minnesota public employers. The <br />employees of the Austin Utilities along with the Austin Utilities Board of <br />Commissioners have had particular difficulty understanding and accepting this <br />legislation. The intent of this paper is to briefly describe the history of this equitable <br />pay issue from both a federal and state legislature standpoint and set forth an <br />Austin Utilities procedure to reevaluate job positioning to stay in compliance with <br />this Minnesota legislation. <br />The policy section of this Minnesota Pay Equity Act in local government <br />states "...every political subdivision of this state shall establish equitable <br />