Warren Ferrill, author of "Why Men Earn More," sees it differently. He says it's difficult to track what low-wage earners actually make because many may work, at least in part, for cash.

"The rule of thumb in working-class jobs is the more people can do it, the less it will pay," he said. "Almost anybody can clean a house, as opposed to, say, build a house."

Men, he said, are much more likely to be hired for construction jobs — not because of discrimination — but because of the skill and, often, danger involved. He adds that women tend to work fewer hours than men, choosing jobs that allow more flexibility for family time.

He points out there are some areas where women earn more. For example, he said, women helpers in the construction field earn 124 percent of what men make.

However, whether perceived or real, many Hispanic women feel there is on-the-job wage discrimination based solely on their gender.

"Sometimes, even if the woman has the same skills as a man, a manager will give the women less money," said Dores Nuila, a mother of nine children. "There's a lot of sexism."

Nuila, who quit high school, actually earns $3 more an hour than her boyfriend, at her $13-an-hour customer service job. Throughout the years, though, there have been times when her boyfriend was the primary income-earner.

"In my case, I make more," she said. "But I think it's really unusual in the world."

Some Hispanic immigrant women fare better than others and are optimistic about their own future as well as their children's. Maricruz Juarez, 32, of Kearns is proud that her twin 12-year-old daughters are already thinking about college. The native of Acapulco, Mexico, hopes her youngest daughter will also have that mind-set.

Juarez earns $15 an hour teaching parenting classes in Spanish, and her husband makes roughly $700 a week at his construction job. The job is a step up for Juarez.

"I have had a lot of jobs before this one," she said. "I used to work at Jordan Commons in the cleaning department."

With a high school education, Juarez is better educated than many of her immigrant peers, and being bilingual has boosted her career options. However, she'd like more training to be able to find a higher paying job.

Still, for now, she's content with her work.

"I definitely love my job," she said. "They're not just paying me. I'm also helping my community, my own Hispanic community to become better parents."

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E-mail: dbulkeley@desnews.com; lhancock@desnews.com