Leeds Morelli & Brown:: Law Firm Blog

The Chicago Tribune reports that new Congressional legislation, which the House scheduled to vote, January 9, http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/la-na-discriminate9-2009jan09,0,1545474.story , seeks to undo a Supreme Court decision which dismissed a workplace discrimination lawsuit brought by Lilly Ledbetter against Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company.  Ledbetter is a woman who was paid less than her male co-workers for nearly 20 years.

Ledbetter, who alleged she was paid much less than comparable male employees for nearly two decades, won at the trial level, but the Supreme Court ruled in 2007 that Ledbetter had not brought a timely action.  The Court held that Ledbetter should have filed suit within six months of Goodyear’s discriminatory pay decision based on her gender; however, Ledbetter discovered the pay discrimination late in her career.

Mere weeks after the Court’s ruling in 2007, Congressional democrats introduced legislation to protect victims of pay discrimination.  The bill was passed by the House but was killed by Senate Republicans, with George W. Bush threatening a veto.

The Tribune further reports that if the new attempt to pass this legislation becomes law, it will likely affect more than just the time limit for filing pay discrimination claims.  Since the Court’s ruling in the Ledbetter case, federal judges have employed stricter standards in a variety of other claims, including discrimination in housing and college athletics. 

The attorneys at Leeds Morelli & Brown, P.C. empathize with Lilly Ledbetter and others who are victims of workplace discrimination.  Leeds Morelli & Brown, P.C. is a firm experienced in employment law and understands the importance of seeking justice in the workplace.  For more information regarding employment discrimination, contact Leeds Morelli & Brown, P.C. for a free consultation at 1-800-545-4658 or visit  www.lmblaw.com/practiceareas/employment-law.asp.