Bill Passed in ’09 Restored Protections Against Pay Discrimination for American Workers

Washington, DC – Congressman Joe Baca (D-Rialto) announced that Sunday, January 29, is the third anniversary of the enactment of the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act, a critical law championing the principle of equal pay for women.    

“I am proud to have fought for passage of the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act in 2009,” said Rep. Baca.  “This historic legislation marked the first bill signed into law by President Obama, and reaffirmed a core American principle: equal pay for equal work, regardless of gender, race, or background.” 

The Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act restored basic protections against pay discrimination for women and other workers, ensuring any woman facing unfair treatment would have their day in court.  With women making up nearly half of the labor force and mothers increasingly serving as the primary or co-breadwinners for American families, the wage gap hurts families, businesses, and communities.  Today, with women still earning an average of just 77 cents for every dollar a man earns, more must be done to level the playing field for all workers.

Lilly Ledbetter worked for nearly two decades at a Goodyear Tire and Rubber facility in Alabama.  She sued the company after learning that she was the lowest-paid supervisor at the plant, despite having more experience than several of her male counterparts.  A jury found that her employer had unlawfully discriminated against her on the basis of sex.  However, the Supreme Court said that Ledbetter had waited too long to sue for pay discrimination, despite the fact that she filed a charge with the U.S. Equal Opportunity Commission as soon as she received an anonymous note alerting her to pay discrimination.  The Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act effectively reversed the Court’s decision and restored basic protections against discrimination for women and others.

“The Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act is important legislation that strengthens America’s families – because equal pay is not simply a women’s issue; it’s a family issue,” concluded Rep. Baca.  “Congress must continue to act to build on this legislation, fight discrimination wherever it exists, and put an end to this basic injustice in our economy and society.  I urge all my colleagues to work to pass the Paycheck Fairness Act, legislation that gives new teeth to the Equal Pay Act and provides women additional tools to fight pay discrimination.”

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