The Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act

Over a year and a half after the Supreme Court virtually eliminated the chance for victims of discrimination to seek vindication, Congress and the Obama administration finally righted the wrong. Thanks to the hard work of AAUW Action Network members and our coalition partners, President Obama signed the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act into law on Jan. 29, 2009. AAUW Executive Director Linda D. Hallman, CAE, and AAUW Director of Public Policy and Government Relations Lisa Maatz were in the front row at the signing in the White House.

The Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act restores the long-standing interpretation of civil rights laws and EEOC policies that allow employees to challenge any discriminatory paycheck they receive. The bill is in direct response to the U.S. Supreme Court's problematic May 2007 decision in Ledbetter v. Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co.

Join AAUW in urging the Senate to continue the fight against wage discrimination by acting swiftly on the Paycheck Fairness Act as well to ensure the change hard working Americans need to receive equal pay. See how your senators voted on the Ledbetter bill, and take action now to urge your senators to demonstrated a firm, bipartisan resolve to attack wage discrimination on all fronts by supporting the Paycheck Fairness Act.

Read more about the Paycheck Fairness Act. 

Both measures passed the House on Jan. 9, 2009 with strong, bipartisan votes. See how your representative voted on the Ledbetter Fair Pay Act and the Paycheck Fairness Act. AAUW believes that a swift approval of both bills by the Senate as well will demonstrate a clear message that pay discrimination will not be tolerated. 

Read AAUW's letters to the House and Senate urging passage of both the Ledbetter bill and the Paycheck Fairness Act, and read Lilly's letter supporting both bills as well.