Lilly Ledbetter Leaves Legacy Of Equal Pay Advocacy Trailblazer’s fight for fair wages reshaped U.S. law and inspired countless activistsOn October 12, 2024, Lilly Ledbetter, the American activist whose fight for equal pay inspired landmark legislation, passed away at the age of 86. Her efforts culminated two years later when President Barack Obama signed the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Restoration Act on January 29, 2009. This was the first bill he enacted after his inauguration, and it eliminated the restrictive statute of limitations for filing pay discrimination claims, allowing workers to sue within six months of discovering any form of pay discrimination, no matter when it had originally occurred. The film chronicled her life, making her story accessible to new generations and eleviating conversations around equal pay standards. Despite the progress ushered by the Lilly Ledbetter Act, the gender pay gap persists.

Source: New York Times October 16, 2024 03:51 UTC