Domestic Policymaking
Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act 2009
Overview
One job of the government is to make and create laws that make the country a better place for everyone. I am gong to review how the government changed the economy to ensure
equality for both genders.
"For 10 years, Lilly Ledbetter fought to close the gap between women’s and men’s wages, sparring with the Supreme Court, lobbying Capitol Hill in a historic discrimination case against Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company."- (lilly ledbetters official website)
This smore is going to show how much of an impact this movement has made and will continue to make in the years to come.
Step one: Recognizing the Problem/ Setting the Agenda
The whole concept of equal pay was an argument that was long overdue by the time that Mrs.Ledbetter won her argument in 2009. According to the department of labor women were making less than 60% of what men made. It was 59 cents for every dollar a man would make. by 2010 the wage gap was closing towards 77 cents for every dollar. Now currently the wage gap is 78 cents for every dollar.
The equal pay act of 1963
In 1963president John F Kennedy signed a new law into act that made the pay between males and females equal. This was called the equal pay act of 1963, this was meant to close the wage gap and to make equal pay for equal work. This worked somewhat as it lowered the gap from 50% less to 23% less. Though this did help in the fight for equality in the workplace it did not completely close the gap.
Step two: Formulting the Policy
The formulating of the Lilly Ledbetter fair pay act actually started as a lawsuit. Lilly Ledbetter went to court to sue abut the fact that women were making substantially less then their male counterparts for the same amount of work. The case appealed all the way up to the supreme court where the justices ruled that it was unconstitutional for women to make less and put a law into effect that women and men must make equal pay.
Step Three: Adopting the Policy
It was adopted by all 50 states as it was a law ruled constitutional by the supreme court. This was signed into affect by president Obama in 2009. It stated that all persons being discriminated against in a workplace must file a document into the government within 180 days of discrimination. This was based off of the civil rights act of 1964 that stated no one could be discriminated against because of race, gender, or religion in any workplace.
Step Four: Implementing the Policy
This policy was implemented by President Obama when he signed this bill into affect in 2009. This makes companies responsible for employing everyone at the same rate for the same amount of work. This also leaves the worker responsible for making sure that their pay wages are the same as the other gender's. When this bill was originally passed the workers had 180 days to file grievances, now they have 300 days to file. This law has really helped make the workplace a fair enviroment for everyone.
Step Five: Evaluating the Policy
This policy has definitely helped to close the wage gap but the war on economic equality in the workplace is far from over. In my own personal experience i get paid 75 cents less than my male counterparts in the workplace. and on average women still do only make about 80 cents for every dollar a man makes. So while this policy helps it certainly doesn't close out this problem.