Lilly Ledbetter
Encyclopedia
Lilly Ledbetter was the plaintiff
in the American employment discrimination
case Ledbetter v. Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co.
She has since become a women's equality activist.
, which is named after her, was passed so that other women will not have to suffer from such inequity.
United States
Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsberg stated:
) Lilly Ledbetter spoke at the Democratic National Convention
, on the topic of pay equity.
In June 2011, she dined with New York Congresswoman Carolyn Maloney, who introduced the Equal Rights Amendment
the previous month, and Eleanor Smeal
.
Plaintiff
A plaintiff , also known as a claimant or complainant, is the term used in some jurisdictions for the party who initiates a lawsuit before a court...
in the American employment discrimination
Employment discrimination
Employment discrimination is discrimination in hiring, promotion, job assignment, termination, and compensation. It includes various types of harassment....
case Ledbetter v. Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co.
Ledbetter v. Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co.
Ledbetter v. Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co., 550 U.S. 618 , is an employment discrimination decision of the Supreme Court of the United States. Justice Alito held for the five-justice majority that employers cannot be sued under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act over race or gender pay discrimination...
She has since become a women's equality activist.
Ledbetter v. Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co.
Goodyear paid her significantly less than her male counterparts. The lawsuit she filed against them eventually reached the Supreme Court. While she will not ever receive the money that was denied her in the many years she worked for Goodyear, the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay ActLilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act
The Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act of 2009 is an Act of Congress enacted by the 111th United States Congress and signed into law by President Barack Obama on January 29, 2009....
, which is named after her, was passed so that other women will not have to suffer from such inequity.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsberg stated:
Lilly
Ledbetter was a supervisor at Goodyear Tire and RubberGoodyear Tire and Rubber CompanyThe Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company was founded in 1898 by Frank Seiberling. Goodyear manufactures tires for automobiles, commercial trucks, light trucks, SUVs, race cars, airplanes, farm equipment and heavy earth-mover machinery....
’s plant in Gadsden, Alabama, from 1979 until her retirement in 1998. For most of those years, she worked as an area manager, a position largely occupied by men. Initially, Ledbetter’s salary was in line with the salaries of men performing substantially similar work. Over time, however, her pay slipped in comparison to the pay of male area managers with equal or less seniority. By the end of 1997, Ledbetter was the only woman working as an area manager and the pay discrepancy between Ledbetter and her 15 male counterparts was stark: Ledbetter was paid $3,727 per month; the lowest paid male area manager received $4,286 per month, the highest paid, $5,236.
Activism
On August 26, 2008 (Women's Equality DayWomen's Equality Day
Women's Equality Day is a day proclaimed each year by the United States President to commemorate the giving of the vote to women throughout the country on an equal basis to men....
) Lilly Ledbetter spoke at the Democratic National Convention
2008 Democratic National Convention
The United States 2008 Democratic National Convention was a quadrennial presidential nominating convention of the Democratic Party where it adopted its national platform and officially nominated its candidates for President and Vice President of the United States. The convention was held in Denver,...
, on the topic of pay equity.
In June 2011, she dined with New York Congresswoman Carolyn Maloney, who introduced the Equal Rights Amendment
Equal Rights Amendment
The Equal Rights Amendment was a proposed amendment to the United States Constitution. The ERA was originally written by Alice Paul and, in 1923, it was introduced in the Congress for the first time...
the previous month, and Eleanor Smeal
Eleanor Smeal
Eleanor Smeal is a feminist activist, political analyst, lobbyist, and grassroots organizer...
.