US President Barack Obama applauds Lilly Ledbetter before signing the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act in the East Room of the White House in Washington, DC, January 29, 2009.
LOS ANGELES - Lilly Ledbetter, a key figure in the fight for equal pay, passed away at the age of 86. Her legal battle against wage discrimination at Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co. sparked the creation of the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act, which remains a cornerstone of workers’ rights today.
Ledbetter's journey began when she discovered that she had been paid significantly less than her male counterparts for years. Her 1999 lawsuit initially won her $3.8 million in backpay and damages, but the Supreme Court ruled in 2007 that her case was filed too late.
Despite the setback, her determination led to the passing of the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act in 2009, which allows workers to file lawsuits within 180 days of receiving each discriminatory paycheck.
What was the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act?
Ledbetter’s fight started after she received an anonymous note revealing that she was earning less than three male colleagues, despite performing the same job at the Goodyear plant in Alabama. Although the Supreme Court ruled against her, Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s dissent encouraged Ledbetter to push for changes in the law.
Her efforts paid off in 2009 when President Barack Obama signed the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act into law. The legislation changed the statute of limitations on wage discrimination claims, ensuring that workers had more opportunities to seek justice.
What is Ledbetter’s legacy in the fight for equal pay?
Ledbetter continued to advocate for equal pay until her death, inspiring generations of workers and policymakers. In 2021, she celebrated the bipartisan support behind the Ledbetter Act, a rare achievement in the push for pay equity.
Despite her lawsuit’s initial failure, Ledbetter’s fight left an enduring mark. As Emily Martin of the National Women’s Law Center stated, "We know her name because she lost, and she kept working to turn that loss into real gains for women across the country."