If you're to believe the Miami Herald, fair pay legislation is bad news for companies that are already struggling in an unfriendly business climate (read: recession). Furthermore, the Herald also believes that exists laws on the book already do sufficient enough job to guarantee that those with the proper experience get the right amount of pay.
I can see the argument up to a certain point – it's a pity that new laws are required to enforce ones that are already on the books. It's also a pity that people who are being shortchanged by their employers are also getting the guilt trip laid on by a journalist - one who is both female and Hispanic. I wonder if she's every felt that double whammy in her pay?
I agree that in discrimination cases, it's up to the plaintiff to provide ample proof of discriminatory practices. However, to assert that people who file these cases are making claims that are impossible to verify hardly seems believable to me.
Companies have an obligation to respect existing legislation with respect to equal pay for equal work (assuming equal experience). Given how the US tends to be, let's say litigious, shall we, you'd expect companies to be keenly aware of any such appearances of impropriety.
Regardless, if there is sufficient reason to suspect discrimination, it's totally reasonable to expect some sort of relief from the law. For the Herald to assume that those who were wronged are partially to blame for the state of the economy or costing companies values resources in a tough business place is simply ridiculous.