Whitfield Joins President Obama for Signing of Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act | News | Congressman Ed Whitfield

News | Congressman Ed Whitfield | United States Representative

Whitfield Joins President Obama for Signing of Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act January 29, 2009 WASHINGTON - U.S. Representative Ed Whitfield (KY-01) joined President Barack Obama at the White House today as the newly elected President signed into law landmark legislation which restores employee rights to challenge pay discrimination based on gender.

"It is truly an honor to join President Obama today as he signs into law his first piece of legislation as President of the United States," Whitfield said. "The Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act is important legislation which protects individuals from pay discrimination based on gender and allows them recourse for restitution. I was proud to support this bill when it passed in the House of Representatives and I am pleased to have the opportunity to stand beside President Obama as it is signed into law."

Whitfield joined President Obama at the White House today where the President signed into law S. 181, the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act. The House passed, and Whitfield supported, this legislation earlier in the week to overturn the Supreme Court decision Ledbetter v. Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company, which ruled that workers suing for pay restitution had to do so within 180 days of the first discriminatory paycheck, even if the discrimination continued thereafter and the employee did not become aware of it until much later. The new law enacted today makes every discriminatory paycheck received a new violation that restarts the clock for filing a claim, thus restoring employee rights to challenge pay discrimination.

Lilly Ledbetter spent 19 years working for a company before discovering through an anonymous tip that she was being paid significantly less than her male counterparts with similar or less experience. Unfortunately, Ledbetter was left with no means to remedy the discrimination when the Supreme Court ruled that her complaint had to be filed within 180 days of the initial salary decision to be considered - even if the victim was unaware of the discrimination until much later. The legislation signed into law today overrules the Supreme Court decision to allow employees who have been unknowingly discriminated against appropriate time to file a complaint.

Whitfield was one of only three Republicans to support the legislation passed by the House this week.

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