Pay discrimination
Ledbetter v. Goodyear The Central Question
Should a discriminatory action that happened long ago but that has effects that continue to the present day fall within the statute of limitations for the federal Civil Rights Act?
Background
Lilly M. Ledbetter worked for 19 years as a manager at a Goodyear Tire and Rubber plant in Gadsden, Ala. For years, she was paid less than men at the same level, and by 1997, as the only female manager, she was earning less than the lowest-paid man in the department. Is each new paycheck, reflecting a salary lower than it would have been without the initial discrimination, a recurring violation that sets the clock running again? Or does the passage of time, without fresh acts of intentional discrimination, render the initial injury a nonevent in the eyes of the law?
Related Links
Should a discriminatory action that happened long ago but that has effects that continue to the present day fall within the statute of limitations for the federal Civil Rights Act?
Background
Lilly M. Ledbetter worked for 19 years as a manager at a Goodyear Tire and Rubber plant in Gadsden, Ala. For years, she was paid less than men at the same level, and by 1997, as the only female manager, she was earning less than the lowest-paid man in the department. Is each new paycheck, reflecting a salary lower than it would have been without the initial discrimination, a recurring violation that sets the clock running again? Or does the passage of time, without fresh acts of intentional discrimination, render the initial injury a nonevent in the eyes of the law?
Related Links
Court Explores Complexities in Job Discrimination Case Federal law prohibits discrimination on the job, requiring employers to pay their employees without regard to race, sex, religion or national origin. Many complexities lie behind that simple statement, as a Supreme Court argument made abundantly clear. (Nov. 28, 2006)
Arguments Transcript (supremecourtus.gov)
