01.29.09

Cantwell Applauds Obama Signature of Law Guaranteeing Expansion of Equal Pay for Equal Work

Lily Ledbetter Fair Pay Act Is First Bill President Signs Into Law; Protects Women and Minorities from Pay Discrimination

WASHINGTON, DC –Today, U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell (D-WA) applauded President Barack Obama for signing the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act into law, legislation that implements “equal pay for equal work” by setting fair timelines for women to bring pay discrimination claims against their employers. Despite passage of the Equal Pay Act of 1963, women today make only 78 cents for every dollar made by a man. The Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act closes that gap, in addition to addressing other forms of discrimination.
 
"Today, equal pay for equal work is more than an aspiration; it’s a reality,” said Cantwell.  “Our children need to grow up in a world where they are confident they are going to be treated fairly in the workplace and know that hard work will pay off regardless of what you look like, where you come from, or what gender you are. As working families struggle to make ends meet, we have a duty and responsibility to provide a fair-pay system that accurately reflects the working reality women face each day.  Today truly is a milestone in our nation’s history.”
 
Lilly Ledbetter worked for nearly 20 years at a Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company facility in Alabama. She sued the company after learning that she was the lowest-paid supervisor out of a group of 16 supervisors at the facility, despite having more experience than several of her male counterparts. The Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act would overturn Ledbetter v. Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co., in which a divided Supreme Court held that workers must sue for pay discrimination within 180 days of the original pay-setting decision, even if the pay discrimination continues after the 180-day period.
 
This bill would create a fair time table for filing pay discrimination claims.  The time limit for suing an employer would begin each time an employer issues discriminatory compensation and is not limited to the original discriminatory action.  An aggrieved employee would be able to file a claim within 180 days of a discriminatory paycheck and recover back pay for up to two years prior.
 
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