Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act

[logansmomma2007]

She was a supervisor at Goodyear for 19 years.  It wasn't until the end of her career, in 1998, that she found out that her male counterparts in the same positions were making $6,000 more a year.  She fought her case for 10 years, and now she is finally is making headway for woman's rights as Obama is set to sign the "Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act".  Many Republicans, including McCain, voted against Lily's case, stating that the act would do more to benefit trial lawyers.  When it got to the Supreme Court, they ruled that Lilly did not file in a timely manner given the current legal provisions.  Under current law, a person must file a claim within 180 days of a company's initial decision to pay a worker less than it pays another worker doing the same job.   

This act hits close to home, as I recently found out that a gentleman I work with makes considerably more than I do.  We started working for the company around the same time, and both have a Bachelors degree in business.  We are equals, and have the same workload of administrative responsibilities, but work in different departments.  His starting salary was $20,000 more a year than mine.  In addition, under the current legal provisions, I would be ineligible to file a claim, as I found out well after 180 days from when I got hired.   

Maybe the "Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act" will actually change that.  If enough companies see the legal repercussions, it may push them to provide equal pay for equal positions from the get go. 

I posted the full story on the Hotlist.    

[madamekatekate]

Jan. 29, 2009 at 1:45 PM

Good lord....$20,000 is a HUGE difference!

That's just...Wow.

[logansmomma2007]

Jan. 29, 2009 at 1:57 PM

I know....I am afraid to say anything though, being that my company is going down the tubes.  I am tempted to confront my general manager with the question, "what is the difference between his role and mine."  I would be interested in hearing that one.  Otherwise, it will just be bargaining power for the future. 

(Original Poster)

[Aasiyah]

Jan. 29, 2009 at 5:34 PM

They could have put a retroactive order in it. it sucks when that happens. in my old company it wasnt' men vs women it was black and hispanic vs.. white workers.. same type of work.. less pay for blacks and hispanics.