AARP Praises Senate on Swift Approval of Ledbetter Fair Pay Act
Source: AARP Press Center | 2009-01-23
January 23, 2009
Contact: David Nathan, AARP, 202-434-2560, dnathan@aarp.org
Washington, DC – AARP lauded the Senate today for its swift approval of the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act of 2009. The bill was approved Thursday night in a 61-36 vote that followed passage by the House on January 9.
The Senate action on the Ledbetter legislation, which was drafted in response to the misguided reasoning of a 2007 Supreme Court decision on wage discrimination, drew praise from AARP Executive Vice President Nancy LeaMond.
“This bill is one that all those sensitive to equality in the workplace will salute,” LeaMond said in noting that Senators with differing viewpoints came together to pass the bill. “We look forward to the signing of this important legislation by President Obama.”
The Ledbetter Act was drafted in response to the Ledbetter v. Goodyear Tire and Rubber Co. decision which involved a long-time employee who had been paid much less than her male colleagues. The Supreme Court ruled that a 180 day filing limit for discrimination began with her first discriminatory paycheck, rather than tolling after each discriminatory payment. AARP has emphasized that the legislation is needed to appropriately reflect workplace realities in providing proper redress to victims of pay discrimination.
LeaMond said that even though the Ledbetter case addresses sex discrimination, there are “important implications for cases involving claims under federal age discrimination and disability discrimination laws as well.”
Final approval of the bill will mark a major victory for older and disabled workers, as well as for women, LeaMond noted.
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