Rep. Johnson commends progress on 1-year anniversary of Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act

LITHONIA, GA – Today, Rep. Hank Johnson (D-GA) commended the progress achieved in the first year of the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act of 2009. The law was an important part of this Congress’ pledge to fight for middle-class families and rebuild our economy in a way that gives every American the chance to succeed. Today marks one year since President Obama signed the bill into law.

“We’ve seen more than a thousand American workers use the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act to ensure they receive a fair day’s wage for a fair day’s work,” said Rep. Johnson. “The Bush recession has been an unfair blow to most American families, but wage discrimination threatens Americans’ prosperity even when the economy recovers.”

The Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act restores employees’ rights to challenge pay discrimination. In the year since the law took effect, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission reviewed more than 1,100 cases in which people were denied fair wage compensation, and some 4,800 charges alleging wage discrimination were filed with the Commission. Numerous court cases have cited the law in an effort to win compensation for back-earnings.

“This law is not just about gender discrimination – it’s about fairness for all American workers and families,” said Rep. Johnson. “In this economy, too many workers have seen their jobs disappear and their wages slashed. That why it’s crucial that all Americans are paid fairly for their hard work. The Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act was among the first bills we undertook last year because it’s such an important part of strengthening our middle class and putting our economy back on sound footing.”

After 20 years as an employee of the Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company, Lilly Ledbetter sued the company when she learned that she was paid less than her male counterparts at the facility. A jury found that her employer had unlawfully discriminated against her on the basis of gender. However, in 2007, the Supreme Court reversed Ledbetter’s case, saying she had waited too long to sue for pay discrimination.

“While this law was an important step forward, it’s just the beginning,” said Rep. Johnson. “In the third quarter of 2009, women were still earning only 81 percent as much as men. In the fourth quarter of last year, women made an average of $670 per week, to a man’s $825. That’s unacceptable.”

The Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act clarified that every paycheck or other compensation resulting from an earlier discriminatory pay decision constitutes a violation of the Civil Rights Act and applies to workers who file claims of discrimination on the basis of race, sex, color, national origin, religion, age, or disability. It reversed a 2007 Supreme Court ruling that made it more difficult for Americans to pursue such claims. The legislation was among the first to be considered and passed by the 111th Congress, and the first major bill to be signed into law by President Obama.

###