Lilly Ledbetter: Eponymous Fair Pay Act Activist’s Death Mourned

Lilly Ledbetter, an activist whose personal experience inspired her to fight for women’s equality, died on Saturday at the age of 86. Her quest for pay equity led to the passage of the monumental Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act of 2009.

Lilly Ledbetter’s Fight For Equal Pay

Born in Jacksonville, Alabama, by 1979, Ledbetter was a supervisor at a Goodyear tire plant in Gadsden, Alabama- a position mainly held by men.

Not long before retiring, Ledbetter received an anonymous note indicating she received less pay than her male co-workers in similar positions. Ledbetter later said, “When I saw that, it took my breath away. I felt humiliated. I felt degraded,”

Her response was to file with the EEOC in 1998- the start of a 10-year legal fight for equity. Retiring from Goodyear 11 months after discovering the pay inequity, in 1999, Ledbetter filed a gender discrimination lawsuit against the company and won the suit in 2003.

Initially awarded over $3 million, it was later reduced to $300,000 due to a statutory cap and $60,000 in back pay after Goodyear appealed to the Supreme Court.

The high court agreed with the company in a 5-4 ruling but dissenting Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg wrote that Ledbetter’s case was”not time-barred” and noted that the issue was “in Congress’ court-” a reference to the  Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act of 2009 passed two years later.

By amending the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act enables workers to obtain relief that includes the recovery of back pay. The Act was the first Act signed into law by then-President Barack Obama on Jan. 29, 2009.

Lilly Ledbetter Dies At 86

Jodi Solomon, Lilly Ledbetter’s speaking manager, confirmed that Ledbetter died on Monday saying she will be missed a lot. Solomon said, “She was fierce, she was a crusader and just a really good friend.”

Ex-President Obama also paid a tribute in a statement and confirmed that Ledbetter- who just wanted to be paid the same as a man for her hard work, set her sights high for herself and even higher for her children and grandchildren. He and Michelle sent their love and prayers to her family and those continuing the fight Ledbetter began.

Honored with a Lifetime Achievement Award from Advertising Week last week for her activism on Equal Pay., Lilly Ledbetter’s work is now also highlighted in the movie, “Lilly,” based on her life. The film is being shown at screenings across the country as Ledbetter’s story continues to resonate.