In a May 19 Highline Community College appearance, Lilly Ledbetter laid out her long personal journey that lead to President Obama signing a pay equity act named after her.

Ledbetter’s talk was the final event of Highline’s 30th annual women’s programs celebration.

After a 19 year career as a nighttime supervisor for Goodyear Tire, Ledbetter learned she wasn’t being paid as much as her male colleagues. She filed a pay discrimination suit and a jury awarded her over $3 million, later reduced to $300,000. Later, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that she was not entitled to the compensation because she filed her claim more than 180 days after receiving her first discriminatory paycheck.

Congress then passed the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act, which was the first real legislation President Obama signed after his inauguration. The law changes the Civil Rights Act so can workers can sue up to 180 days after receiving any discriminatory paycheck.

Ledbetter told the Highline audience when she started as a Goodyear supervisor in 1979 she wanted “to work hard and support my family.”

Ledbetter noted she was raised in the Possum Trot, Alabama. Her home did not have running water or electricity.

“My decision (to sue Goodyear) didn’t take long,” Ledbetter, declared. “From picking cotton, I learned if you give a good day’s work, you should get good pay.”

Just as she was about to retire, Ledbetter said she received an anonymous note comparing her salary with her three male counterparts. Ledbetter said two male supervisors were making $5,900 a month in base pay while the other male colleague was receiving $5,800 and she was getting $3,700.

The discrepancy not only affected her daily life but also meant she would earn much less in retirement based on her earnings, Ledbetter noted.

Ledbetter insisted she had not been aware she was making less than her male colleagues. Ledbetter said she was instructed by Goodyear officials not to discuss pay with her fellow workers.

Goodyear claimed in court Ledbetter was not a good worker but she noted she received a Top Performance Award in 1996.

After receiving the anonymous note, she filed a complaint with the EEOC and hired a law firm, which took the case on the contingency that they would receive 50 percent of the settlement.

The firm spent around $500,000 on the case, but like her, never received any compensation after the Supreme Court ruled against her.

Ledbetter said she now advocates a paycheck fairness bill that would extend protections of the Ledbetter law by allowing workers to discuss their pay with each other and talk to managers about their performance.

Ledbetter also signed copies of her book, “Grace and Grit: How I won my fight for fairness at Goodyear and beyond.”
Ledbetter added she doesn’t buy Goodyear tires for her car—she recommends Michelins.