Lilly Ledbetter will speak at CALS Main Library Thursday pic

  • Lilly Ledbetter will speak at CALS Main Library Thursday.

LILLY LEDBETTER
6:30 p.m. CALS Main Library. Free.

Advertisement

The idea that a woman wouldn’t be paid the same as a man for doing the same job is offensive to the basic sense of fairness most people would agree that society should aspire to. So it’s logical then that a woman who was paid substantially less than her male colleagues for doing the same job as them for nearly two decades would seek relief from the courts.

That’s what Alabaman Lilly Ledbetter did, and she was awarded $3.3 million (though according to an article in Time, that amount was later reduced to $300,000). The case made its way to the Supreme Court, where the conservative wing struck down the ruling in a 5-4 vote, stating that because Ledbetter did not complain about the discriminatory nature of her pay within 180 days of receiving her first paycheck, that she was not entitled to any judgment against her former employer, Goodyear.

Advertisement

Of course, compensation details are confidential at most corporations, and Ledbetter only learned of the pay disparity as she was preparing to retire, after a colleague slipped her a note anonymously. The Supreme Court’s decision seems to ignore this important detail. Ledbetter was a guest on Stephen Colbert’s show last fall. He summed up the court’s decision thusly: “Their logic was, you should have known before you knew.”

While Ledbetter undoubtedly received unjust treatment at the hands of her employer and, arguably, the nation’s highest court, she did get some satisfaction when President Obama signed the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act in 2009, the first piece of legislation he signed into law. She’ll be signing copies of her new book, “Grace & Grit: My Fight for Equal Pay and Fairness at Goodyear and Beyond.”

Advertisement

Be a part of something bigger

As a reader of the Arkansas Times, you know we’re dedicated to bringing you tough, determined, and feisty journalism that holds the powerful accountable. For 50 years, we've been fighting the good fight in Little Rock and beyond – with your support, we can do even more. By becoming a subscriber or donating as little as $1 to our efforts, you'll not only have access to all of our articles, but you'll also be helping us hire more writers to expand our coverage and continue to bring important stories to light. With over 63,000 Facebook followers, 58,000 Twitter followers, 35,000 Arkansas blog followers, and 70,000 daily email blasts, it's clear that our readers value our great journalism. Join us in the fight for truth.

Previous article Huge insurance cost increases for teachers: Is it fair? Next article Lulav-Italian Kitchen to become Cellar 220, with an assist from Donnie Ferneau