On Monday, equal pay activist Lilly Ledbetter passed away at the age of 86. Ms. Ledbetter worked as a supervisor at Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company starting in 1979. After almost 20 years in that role, in 1998 she received an anonymous letter from a colleague that she had been underpaid compared with men in the same job. This led to a years-long fight for equal pay. While she initially won her case in federal court, the decision was reversed on appeal. She brought her case to the US Supreme Court, which ruled against her in 2007, saying she was too late to bring claims. The decision came with a vigorous dissent from Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg.

In 2009, Congress passed the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act, which effectively eliminated the statute of limitations on fair-pay claims. This was the first piece of legislation signed into law by President Barack Obama.

Getman, Sweeney & Dunn honors Ms. Ledbetter for her incredible work and her role in ensuring fair pay.

https://www.nytimes.com/2024/10/14/obituaries/lilly-ledbetter-dead.html