Why We’re Still Fighting for the Equal Rights Amendment
October 09, 2024
The Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act, signed by President Obama on January 29, 2009, restored the ability of individuals to assert their rights under federal anti-discrimination laws, after a devastating 11th Circuit Court decision that was upheld by the Supreme Court, in Ledbetter v. Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co.
The Fair Pay Act was monumental in bringing national attention to the issue of pay discrimination, but wages for women have barely improved in the last 15 years. And women of color fare even worse than white women compared to their non-Hispanic white male counterparts.
We honor Lilly Ledbetter and her enduring fight for equal pay and opportunities by marking equal pay days throughout the year - the date at which women in a particular demographic group have to work into the following year to approximate the earnings of their white male counterparts from just the year prior.
We'll be participating in equal pay days throughout the year to amplify this issue and how it impacts various communities. Make sure to follow us on social media to lift up the need for fair wages, and find ways you can take action!
And if you are currently employed, consider talking to colleagues about your pay. The only way we can remedy these inequities is through transparency. Check out this article in the Washington Post, "Closing the gender pay gap one job offer at a time."
Women's Equal Pay Day is coming up on March 12!
