Last year, the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act of 2009, Pub. L. 111-2, Sec. 3(A), 123 Stat.
5-6 ("Fair Pay Act"), was passed, amending the Civil Rights Act of 1964. The Lilly Ledbetter Act provides that the 180 day statute of limitations for filing an equal pay lawsuit regarding pay discrimination resets with each new discriminatory paycheck.
This was and now is an important step in closing pay disparity based on gender – an issue that Congress attempted to address with legislation in 1963. At the time the Equal Pay Act was passed, women were paid just 59 cents for every dollar earned by their male counterparts.
Despite the EPA, the wage gap persists. In the United States, women are now paid (on average) 77 cents for every dollar paid to men. In Colorado, that earning ratio is only slightly better – 80%. In some of our neighboring states, that rate is not even 70%. And the wage gap is more substantial when race and gender are considered together.
The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, or "EEOC", is the federal agency responsible for the enforcement of anti-discrimination laws relating to employment. As briefly mentioned above, federal laws prohibit discrimination on the basis of equal pay.
To individually, or as a group of employees or class, prosecute or at least explore your options for a private action against your employer, please contact us.
Strict time limitations for filing with the EEOC and filing suit to recover lost income and other damages apply.
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