Lauding Lilly Ledbetter signing (UPDATED)

Statements have come in from the Jewish Council for Public Affairs, the National Council of Jewish Women and the Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism welcoming President Barack Obama’s signing of the Lily Ledbetter Fair Pay Act Thursday morning. The equal-pay legislation, the first bill that the new president has signed into law, overturns a 2007 Supreme Court decision which ruled that workers must file a wage discrimination lawsuit within six months of the first instance of discrimination. The new law restores the old interpretation of the 1964 Civil Rights Act, which considers each paycheck a new act of discrimination and would allow lawsuits within six months of when the discrimination is discovered, no matter when the discrmination originally started. Here’s JCPA’s statement:

President Obama’s signature restores equal pay opportunities for women and other minorities, says a leading Jewish advocacy group.

The Jewish Council for Public Affairs (JCPA) on Thursday celebrated the signing into law of the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act of 2009.  JCPA, which has a long history of supporting civil rights and non-discrimination legislation, hailed today’s signing by President Obama as the culmination of many years of hard work to guarantee all employees are paid the same amount for the same work.

The Lily Ledbetter Fair Pay Act was written in response to a 2007 Supreme Court decision.  Lilly Ledbetter of Gadsden, Alabama, discovered after 20 years of service to Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company that she was paid a fraction of what her male coworkers were paid for the same job.   In an opinion that diverged from several appellate court decisions, the Justices ruled that although it was clear Mrs. Ledbetter suffered from discrimination, workers alleging wage discrimination must file their suit within six months of the first instance of discrimination.  Lilly Ledbetter was denied any redress.  The Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Law restores the traditional interpretation of the 1964 Civil Rights Act and considers each new paycheck a new act of discrimination.  This would allow individuals claiming pay discrimination to file suit upon discovering the inequity, regardless of the first pay period.

Andrea Weinstein, chair of the Jewish Council for Public Affairs released this statement following President Obama’s signing of this legislation:

“The Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Law helps protect employees from unfair discriminatory pay practices.  We are pleased that President Obama and the new Congress agree with our core beliefs that all individuals are created equal and should be treated fairly in the workplace.  It is unfortunate that in this era, legislation was necessary to ensure that two individuals performing the same work are paid the same amount.  However, we are pleased this law has finally become a reality.”

And the NCJW:

The National Council of Jewish Women (NCJW) today praised President Obama for signing the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act. After attending the White House signing ceremony, NCJW President Nancy Ratzan released the following statement:

“NCJW was honored and thrilled to be there as President Obama signed the historic Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act – the first bill signed into law under his administration. This victory is shared by all of the activists across the country who worked so long and hard to win passage of this important equal pay legislation.

“The new law rectifies the Supreme Court’s decision in Ledbetter v. Goodyear and reinstates important protections against wage discrimination.

“Enactment of this law is the first step in the road to ensuring equal pay for women and others victimized by workplace discrimination. We look forward to working with allies, including the White House, in passing the Paycheck Fairness Act. NCJW advocates nationwide pledge to continue their efforts on behalf of this bill which would strengthen the 1963 Equal Pay Act.”

Finally, the RAC:

In response to the signing into law of the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act, Rabbi David Saperstein, Director of the Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism, issued the following statement:

We applaud today’s overdue enactment of the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act, which places the law firmly on the side of victims of wage discrimination. This legislation is essential to ensuring that women and minorities receive fair pay in the workplace.

As Jews, we are inspired by our tradition, which commands that, “You shall not defraud your neighbor, nor rob him; the wages of he who is hired shall not remain with you all night until the morning” (Leviticus 9:13). In these trying economic times, equitable pay is not only a right, but a vital step in enabling women and minorities, the most frequent victims of discrimination, to pull themselves out of poverty. When the Supreme Court ruled in Ledbetter v. Goodyear Tire and Rubber Co. that all wage discrimination cases had to be filed within 180 days of the first discriminatory pay check, Justice Ginsburg wrote in her dissent that “this court does not comprehend, or is indifferent to, the insidious way in which women can be victims of pay discrimination.”

Thanks to enactment of this bill, the values espoused by Justice Ginsburg have carried the day and the Court’s specious reasoning has been repudiated.  We congratulate Congress, the President, and above all, Ms. Ledbetter, for their determination to right this injustice.