Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights Under Law
1401 New York Avenue, NW
Suite 400
Washington, DC 20005

For Immediate Release
Contacts:
Kim Alton
(202) 662-8600
July 03, 2007

Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law Commends House Passage of Ledbetter Fair Pay Bill

(Washington, DC) - The Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law applauds the House of Representatives for passing the “Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act of 2007” today by a vote of 225-199. The bill would restore the longstanding protections against pay discrimination that were recently stripped by the Supreme Court’s decision in Ledbetter v. Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co. The Senate is currently considering a similar bill.

In Ledbetter v. Goodyear, the Supreme Court held 5-4 that employees who are victims of wage discrimination lose their ability to bring a claim 180 days after their employer’s initial discriminatory pay decision, even if they continued to receive discriminatory paychecks. As a result, Lilly Ledbetter, who did not know that she was being paid significantly less than her male coworkers after the 180 day period, was left with no avenue to enforce her rights.

“This bill restores a longstanding interpretation of antidiscrimination law, and reflects the common sense understanding that every paycheck that is tainted by discrimination is an act of discrimination,” said Michael Foreman, Deputy Director of Legal Programs. 

More importantly, this legislation reflects the realities of the modern workplace, where employees generally do not know how much their coworkers are making or the reasons for any salary differences. Many employers even prohibit employees from discussing their salaries, making it extremely difficult to realize when wages are reduced by discrimination. The “Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act” ensures that employees who receive discriminatory paychecks have a means to attack this discrimination.