Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act of 2007
On July 31, the House passed the Ledbetter Fair Pay Act of 2007. However, it still needs to pass the Senate and escape the President’s veto before the bill becomes law. The Ledbetter Fair Pay Act is a direct response to the decision of a Supreme Court case of last year. The verdict of Ledbetter v. Goodyear allotted only 180 days for employees to file complaints with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission if they believe that they have been paid less on the account of their sex, race, religion, or nationality. The bill would eliminate the time restriction and allow for up to two years of back pay if the allegations are found to be true. The bill also keeps in place the Court’s provision of capping damages at $300,000.
The bill is aimed at eliminating the wage gap for women. Currently the average white woman makes 77 cents to a white man’s dollar, while African American women earn only 63 cents on the dollar and Latina women earn 57 cents. With the decrease in pension and social security benefits, women are more prone to falling into poverty as they grow older, according to Congresswoman Barbara Lee.
For more information about the bill, click here.
To help support the Ledbetter Fair Pay Act of 2007, click here.