In honor of Women’s History Month, state Rep. Natalie Manley, D-Joliet, recognized the work of Lilly Ledbetter to achieve gender pay equality on the floor of the Illinois House of Representatives.
“This Women’s History Month, it is important to take a moment to thank those who fought to get us to where we are now,” said Manley. “Through her hard work and dedication to the cause of achieving gender pay equality, Lilly Ledbetter has made a major difference in the lives of women across our country. While there is undoubtedly still more work that needs to be done to achieve true equality, her work has created a solid foundation for us to continue the fight and make our world more equal for generations to come.”
On Tuesday, Manley highlighted the work of Lilly Ledbetter in a speech in front of the Illinois House of Representatives. After nearly 20 years of working at Goodyear Tire and Rubber, Ledbetter discovered that a large pay gap existed between her and her male colleagues. She filed a gender pay discrimination lawsuit and won over $3 million, but the U.S. Supreme Court later overturned the ruling due to a technicality. She then worked to raise awareness about unfair pay practices, which led to Congress passing the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act, expanding important protections against pay discrimination.
During her time in the General Assembly, Manley has worked to decrease the gender wage gap. Last year, Manley helped pass legislation requiring many employers to include pay scale and benefits information in job postings, reducing the ability of employers to hide potential pay discrepancies from employees. Manley also supported legislation requiring many employers to obtain an equal pay registration certificate from the Illinois Department of Labor, which certifies that the business’s average compensation for its female employees is not consistently below the overall average compensation.
“Regardless of gender, everyone deserves to be paid fairly and equitably,” said Manley. “Equal pay for equal work isn’t just about pay, it’s about the promise that quality work and dedication brings success and recognition, regardless of background. This Women’s History Month and beyond, I will continue to work to ensure that all people are being treated equally under the law.”