The House gave final approval to the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act today by a vote of 250-177. The measure will be the first bill sent to President Obama's desk for his signature.
The Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act will reverse a Supreme Court ruling that has made it more difficult for Americans to pursue pay discrimination claims. It clarifies that every paycheck or other compensation resulting from an earlier discriminatory pay decision constitutes a violation of the Civil Rights Act. As long as workers file their charges within 180 days of a discriminatory paycheck, their charges would be considered timely. This was the law prior to the Supreme Court’s May 2007 decision in Ledbetter v. Goodyear.
"The Ledbetter v. Goodyear Supreme Court ruling was a painful step backwards for civil rights in this country. Today, the House will correct this injustice, and send President Obama his first bill to sign into law," Chairman George Miller said today.
Watch Chairman Miller's January 9, 2009 statement about the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act on the House floor:
Watch Lilly Ledbetter's 2007 testimony before the Committee:
“What happened to me is not only an insult to my dignity, but it had real consequences for my ability to care for my family. Every paycheck I received, I got less than what I was entitled to under the law.
“The Supreme Court said that this didn’t count as illegal discrimination, but it sure feels like discrimination when you are on the receiving end of that smaller paycheck and trying to support your family with less money than the men are getting for doing the same job.
“And according to the Court, if you don’t figure things out right away, the company can treat you like a second-class citizen for the rest of your career. That isn’t right.” -- Lilly Ledbetter.
"The Ledbetter v. Goodyear Supreme Court ruling was a painful step backwards for civil rights in this country. Today, the House will correct this injustice, and send President Obama his first bill to sign into law," Chairman George Miller said today.
Watch Chairman Miller's January 9, 2009 statement about the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act on the House floor:
Watch Lilly Ledbetter's 2007 testimony before the Committee:
“What happened to me is not only an insult to my dignity, but it had real consequences for my ability to care for my family. Every paycheck I received, I got less than what I was entitled to under the law.
“The Supreme Court said that this didn’t count as illegal discrimination, but it sure feels like discrimination when you are on the receiving end of that smaller paycheck and trying to support your family with less money than the men are getting for doing the same job.
“And according to the Court, if you don’t figure things out right away, the company can treat you like a second-class citizen for the rest of your career. That isn’t right.” -- Lilly Ledbetter.
Something needs to be done about our jobs being shipped out of the Unined States.The most recent is a plant owned by MeadWestvaco is closing their plant in Washington Court House,Ohio & moving to Mexico.Something needs to be done to keep our jobs here in the United States.