WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Chris Coons (D-Del.) on Wednesday marked the fifth anniversary of the enactment of the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act, the law allowing victims of wage discrimination to petition for fair pay within 180 days of each discriminatory paycheck. The 2009 law reversed a Supreme Court ruling holding that claims could not be filed more than 180 days after the employer’s original discriminatory salary decision.
“Equal pay for equal work goes beyond basic fairness. It’s beneficial to our economy, our families, and our children,” Senator Coons said. “As we mark the fifth anniversary of the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act, we should take stock of the progress made and the work that remains to eradicate wage discrimination from America’s workplaces. In Delaware, women working full time still make just 80 cents on the dollar compared to men — a loss of $9,911 a year. Across the nation, even more striking wage gaps persist in many industries.
“As a father and a husband, I am thankful that the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act makes it easier for workers faced with discrimination to claim the compensation they deserve, but we must not stop there. Congress needs to continue working to end unacceptable pay discrimination in our workforce. Equal pay for equal work must be more than an ideal, it must be a guarantee in our society.”
Senator Coons is an original cosponsor of the the Paycheck Fairness Act, which would deter wage discrimination by closing loopholes in the Equal Pay Act and barring retaliation against workers who disclose their wages to colleagues.