Support the Fair Pay Restoration Act

Congressional leaders are taking action to enact a legislative remedy to restore important Title VII protections eliminated as a result of the Supreme Court's decision in the Ledbetter case. The Ledbetter Fair Pay Act of 2007 (HR 2831) passed the House earlier this year. More than 35 Senators have co-sponsored a companion bill in the Senate, the Fair Pay Restoration Act (S. 1843). Alliance for Justice joined more than 250 organizations on a letter urging Senators to support the Fair Pay Restoration Act.

Unfortunately, on April 23, 2008, a minority of the U.S. Senate blocked the bill, which fell just shy of the 60 votes needed to move on to final passage. Click here to learn how your Senators voted. However, Majority Leader Senator Harry Reid has signaled that he WILL bring this legislation up again, as soon as we have the three votes needed to end debate.

You can help ensure that all workers are able to obtain justice by supporting the Fair Pay Restoration Act (S.1843). Contact your Senators today. Urge them to support the Fair Pay Restoration Act and restore the power of the Civil Rights Act.

» Read AFJ's Fact Sheet on Ledbetter

Subject:

Dear [ Decision Maker ],

(Edit Letter Below)

I urge you to support the Fair Pay Restoration Act of 2007 when it next comes up for a vote (S. 1843).  Voting against the Act sends a signal that it is acceptable for employers to pay people differently as a result of their gender or race.  Such discrimination cannot be tolerated in our work places or in Congress.
 
The Fair Pay Restoration Act will restore critical civil rights protections for American workers that were lost as a result of the Supreme Court's recent controversial decision in Ledbetter v. Goodyear Tire & Rubber.

In Ledbetter, the Supreme Court held that employees cannot challenge ongoing compensation discrimination if the employer's original discriminatory decision occurred more than 180 days before, even when the employee continues to receive paychecks that have been discriminatorily reduced.  
 
The Ledbetter decision undermines the Congressional goal of eliminating discrimination in the workplace, enables employers to benefit from discrimination, and ignores fundamental workplace realities.  In fact, the law under Ledbetter provides an incentive for employers to conceal, rather than correct, compensation discrimination.  
 
Justice Ginsburg stated in her dissent in the case, "Once again, the ball is in Congress' court.  As in 1991, the Legislature may act to correct this Court's parsimonious reading of Title VII."  
 
Your constituents are committed to eradicating discrimination in the work place.  I urge you to support the Fair Pay Restoration Act of 2007.

Sincerely,
[Your name]
[Your address]

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