January 27, 2009

Today, U.S. Rep. Ed Perlmutter voted for and the House passed S. 181, the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act of 2009 by a vote of 250 to 177. S. 181 will begin to close the gender pay gap in this country by reversing a Supreme Court decision that has kept women from pursuing pay discrimination claims. The bill now goes to President Obama and will likely be the first major piece of legislation he signs into law.

The Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act clarifies each discriminatory paycheck or compensation constitutes a violation of the Civil Rights Act. As long as workers file their charges within 180 days of a discriminatory paycheck, their charges would be considered timely. This was the law prior to the Supreme Court’s May 2007 decision.

“This issue is as basic as it gets. Lilly Ledbetter’s story is a stark reminder to all Americans that fairness in compensation should be a cornerstone of civil rights. Workers should not be treated differently simply because of their gender, race, age or religious beliefs. During these difficult economic times, it is vital to stand up for workers who are facing wage discrimination and are not being fairly compensated for their hard work. In this new era of change, Congress needs to be committed to rebuilding our economy, and this legislation is a critical first step in reaching that goal,” stated Perlmutter.

The Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act applies to workers who file claims of discrimination on the basis of race, sex, color, national origin, religion, age, or disability.