Ledbetter act ensures fair pay for women

As a woman who has been in the Iowa work force for many years, I have paid close attention to the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act. The law was the first legislation signed by President Barack Obama. The law would make provisions for female workers to challenge wage discrimination.

Lilly Ledbetter filed a lawsuit against the Goodyear Tire and Rubber Co. She was paid significantly less than her male counterparts. The lawsuit reached the Supreme Court and was rejected. The law was finally signed into law by the U.S. Senate on Jan. 29, 2009.

In April 2009, Iowa Gov. Chet Culver signed amendments to the Iowa Civil Rights Act to render it consistent with the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act. The first amendment prohibits any employment practice in which there is a differential in the wage paid to employees for equal work, skills and responsibility.

Secondly, the Iowa Civil Rights Act was amended to provide protection, not only at the time of the original compensation decision, but each time the wage differential differs from this agreement.

Lastly, the Iowa Civil Rights Act provides that the employee is entitled to recover several times the wage paid to another employee for the time of discrimination.

Obama had the foresight to sign legislation that would ensure that women never would again suffer from the inequity of wage discrimination.

Helane Golden

Cedar Rapids