By Scott Gladden/ For The Post
On Jan. 29, President Barack Obama signed his first piece of legislation - the Lilly Ledbetter Equal Pay Act.
The law gives workers more time to take pay discrimination cases to court and effectively nullifies a 2007 Supreme Court decision stating workers only had 180 days to file a pay discrimination lawsuit.
The Associated Press contributed to this story.
Ledbetter, 70, was an employee at a Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co. plant in Alabama for 19 years, but didn't find out about the pay discrepancy between she and male co-workers until the end of her career. She sued, but the court said she had to file the discrimination claim within 180 days of the first paycheck she received where wage discrimination was evident.
The new law extends the time period for an additional 180 days every time a new discriminatory paycheck is issued.
With today's economy, making businesses pay back workers who were discriminated against could be problematic, but the bill is still a good idea, said Mandy Caruso, a junior studying early education.
If the person is being discriminated against in the workplace
then I feel like he should be getting what he deserves Caruso said.
Some businesses have expressed concern because they can be penalized for discrimination that happened in the past, but people who can prove they have been discriminated against can only get back pay for two years, said Charlene Kalenkoski, professor of economics who has studied labor economics.
It's good for businesses because they know what they are being held responsible for
and they know what the cost will be if they engage in wage discrimination
Kalenkoski said. It clarifies things for everybody.
It is too early to tell if the bill will have any effect on Athens business owners, said Wendy Jakmas, president of the Athens Area Chamber of Commerce.
Ohio University probably will not have to make any changes because of the bill, said Sally Linder, university spokeswoman.
Although the act is important, it is more of a clarification that probably won't make any drastic changes, Kalenkoski said.
The gender wage gap is based on many things, including occupation, work experience and skills and only a small portion is the result of discrimination, she said. The law might decrease that part of the gap, she said.
There is wage inequality that we can't write off; hopefully this act will help close that gap
said Cindy Anderson, associate professor of sociology, who has done research on labor market inequality.
Most families have both parents working, so the act could raise the income of families, Anderson said.
Making the Lilly Ledbetter Equal Pay Act his first act sets the tone of Obama's administration, said Susanne Dietzel, director of the Women's Center.
I was very pleased with that and proud that that was his first act
Dietzel said. It says he really is dedicated to ending all kinds of inequities in our society. I thought it was a wonderful way to bring in the new president.
Bridget Ruffley, a freshman studying creative writing, said she is hopeful about the effects of the bill.
Most of it's under the radar so much that it's gone unnoticed
and I think this'll bring it out that this problem's still out there
she said.
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