Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act

The Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act (H.R. 11), introduced by Representative George Miller, rectifies a Supreme Court ruling that made it harder for Americans to pursue discrimination claims. The bill clarifies that every paycheck or other compensation resulting from an earlier discriminatory pay decision 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 in Ledbetter v. Goodyear.  Because the Ledbetter decision can impact pay discrimination claims under other statutes, the bill ensures that these simple reforms extend to the Age Discrimination in Employment Act, the Americans with Disabilities Act, and the Rehabilitation Act to provide the same protections for victims of age and disability discrimination.