§ 34-5-4 — Powers and authority of Commissioner under chapter

(a) The Commissioner shall have the power and it shall be his duty to carry out this chapter; and for this purpose the Commissioner or his authorized representative shall have the power to: (1) Assist any employer to ensure that all employees are receiving comparable pay for comparable work in jobs which require comparable skill, effort, and responsibility; (2) Assist any employer so that the character of the work and operations on which persons are employed can be compared, to question such persons, and to obtain such other information as is reasonably necessary for the administration and enforcement of this chapter; and (3) Eliminate pay practices unlawful under this chapter by informal methods of conference, conciliation, and persuasion. (b) The Commissioner is authorized to request witnesses to appear and to produce pertinent records for examination by the Commissioner or his authorized representative in the county of the place of business of the employer and such witnesses shall be paid the same fees as are allowed witnesses attending the superior courts of this state. In the event of failure of a person to attend, testify, or produce records voluntarily, the Commissioner may make application to the superior court of the county in which the business is located and, after notice and hearing, the court, in its discretion, and upon proper cause shown, may issue an order requiring the person to appear before the Commissioner or his authorized representative and testify or produce records as requested by the Commissioner. (c) The Commissioner shall have the authority to issue such rules and regulations appropriate to the carrying out of this chapter.