Support Women's Right to Equal Pay
Too many women in this country are getting paid less than they should be. If our leaders really want to stimulate the economy, they should boost women's paychecks by making sure they can earn an equal wage for equal work.
Unfortunately, a recent Supreme Court decision in Ledbetter v. Goodyear Tire & Rubber severely limits workers' ability to protect their rights. The decision makes it virtually impossible for workers to sue for pay discrimination and rewards employers for hiding inequities.
But a bill awaiting a vote in the Senate would help women fight for fair pay. The Fair Pay Restoration Act would correct the unjust Supreme Court ruling and give all employees a better shot at a fair workplace.
Now, with the Fair Pay Restoration Act advancing through the Senate, Congress can correct the Supreme Court's wrong -- and make sure women are earning more than just peanuts. Urge your Senators to support the Fair Pay Restoration Act today!
Subject Line: Support the Fair Pay Restoration Act
Dear [Decision Maker],
I am writing to urge you to vote for the Fair Pay Restoration Act (S. 1843), which will reverse the effects of the recent Supreme Court decision in
Ledbetter v. Goodyear Tire & Rubber. The
Ledbetter decision severely limits workers' ability to vindicate their rights and distorts Congress' intent to eliminate sex and other forms of discrimination in the workplace. A parallel bill has already been passed in the House.
In
Ledbetter, the Supreme Court held that employees cannot challenge ongoing compensation discrimination if the employer's original discriminatory decision occurred more than 180 days before, even when the employee continues to receive paychecks that have been discriminatorily reduced. Prior to this decision, the law as interpreted by the EEOC and nine of the ten courts of appeals that have considered the issue treated each discriminatory paycheck as a separate discriminatory act that started a new 180-day clock.
The
Ledbetter decision is problematic because it undermines the Congressional goal of eliminating discrimination in the workplace, enables employers to benefit from discrimination, and ignores fundamental workplace realities. Because pay information is often confidential, it may take a long time for an employee to realize that she is experiencing compensation discrimination. In addition, the law under the
Ledbetter decision provides an incentive for employers to conceal, rather than correct, compensation discrimination. The Fair Pay Restoration Act would restore long-standing law and promote voluntary compliance with anti-discrimination laws by employers. The bill would make it easier to ensure justice for those who have been discriminated against based on sex, race, ethnicity, religion, disability, and age.
[Your Comments]
Sincerely,
[Your Name]
[Your Address]
[City, State ZIP]
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