In January 2009, President Barak Obama signed his first piece of legislation into law: the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Restoration Act. This law adds a new provision to the already existing Title VI of the Civil Rights Act allowing workers more time to file complaints for wage discrimination.

Who is Lilly?

Lilly Ledbetter is a retired factory manager for Goodyear Tire & Rubber in Alabama. She worked for Goodyear for 19 years.

Pay Differences

Close to her retirement, Ledbetter discovered her male colleagues were all making 15 to 40 percent more than she was. Ledbetter filed a charge of discrimination with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC).

The Supremes

While Ledbetter initially won her court case, when the case arrived in the U.S. Supreme Court, it overturned her settlement. The court majority found she waived her right to sue for discrimination by failing to file her complaint within the first 180 days of the first act of discrimination.

Unaware Victims

Since most victims of discrimination do not know they are being harmed, the Court's ruling effectively immunized employers from many pay issue liabilities. Calls for new legislation began immediately. The House Education and Labor Committee started discussions to form a new law a few weeks following the Supreme Court decision.

Benefits

The Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Restoration Act focuses on reversing the damage of the Court's decision. While it is mainly a technical law cleaning up language, the major impact is that it is seen as a step toward equal pay for all people in the United States.

Source:

The Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act of 2009

Beyond Legislatures

ABC News

Resource:

Text of S. 181: Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act of 2009

Fair Pay Law Strikes a Blow for Equal Pay

Equal Payback for Lilly Ledbetter