Ledbetter's Case Led to Equal Pay for Equal Work Legislation
Flatwoods, W.Va. - Women's rights pioneer Lilly Ledbetter will be the keynote speaker at the West Virginia Federation of Democratic Women's Annual Meeting. Ledbetter became famous when she sued her employer, the Goodyear Tire Company in Alabama in 1998, for sexual discrimination after learning that her male counterparts earned greater wages for many years for the same work that she did. Her case went all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court, which ruled against her on a technicality because too much time had lapsed between her hiring in 1979 and her filing suit in 1998 when she learned of the discrimination. Ledbetter's cause became a political one and the fight for equal-pay-for-equal ensued. Congress later adopted the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act in 2009.
In addition to Ledbetter, the Federation of Democratic Women will have a full weekend of activities. Several statewide Democratic elected officials are expected to attend as well.
WHAT: WV Federation of Democratic Women's Annual Meeting
WHEN: September 17-19
Dinner with Lilly Ledbetter as the keynote speaker is 6:30 pm Saturday, Sept. 18.
WHERE: Days Inn Conference Center, Flatwoods, WV
