Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Restoration Act
Friday, January 30, 2009
After just 10 days in office, Barack Obama created his first law. The legislation named after a grandmother who was discriminated against over 10 years ago filed with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, had a pay-equity law created in her name. Obama's first law, The Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Restoration Act, signed in honor of Lilly Ledbetter, states that victims now have the right to file complaints within 180 days of their first unfair paycheck. With this law, employers no longer can hide unfair pay practices before continuing them, and avoid penalties forever. Finally after three presidential campaigns, arguments and lots of convincing in Congress, and endless times of litigation, a law was created protecting the worker from discrimination. For Lilly, the fight was worth it, as a lawsuit netted her $360,000 in back pay.
Interestingly enough, the conservative law makers seem to back the interests of the employer, while the liberal Democrats seem to favor Lilly. So it may not be such a surprise that the bill was passed with a Democratic President in the White House.
Interestingly enough, the conservative law makers seem to back the interests of the employer, while the liberal Democrats seem to favor Lilly. So it may not be such a surprise that the bill was passed with a Democratic President in the White House.
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