Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act of 2009
On January 27,
2009, Congress passed the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act
of 2009, which was quickly signed into law by President Barack
Obama.
The Ledbetter Act extends
statutes of limitation for most federal anti-discrimination laws,
allowing an employee to file suit for discriminatory decisions made long
ago if the employee’s pay is still affected by the results of the
decision. Although recovery of back pay is limited to two years, other
remedies are also available, including punitive damages, emotional
distress damages, and injunctive relief. Injunctive relief may include a
court order to reinstate or promote an aggrieved employee.
The effect of the Ledbetter
Act, whether intended or not, is that employers may now be held liable
for employment decisions made years or even decades earlier, if the
effects of those decisions are still reflected in employees’
compensation.
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