Congress’ swift reaction to reverse a recent pay discrimination decision by the U.S. Supreme Court and a legislative effort to eliminate caps on damages in workplace bias suits signal a major change in the political landscape for employers, and more compromising by them than in at least a decade, agree counsel for employers and employees.
The Ledbetter Fair Pay Act — named for Lily Ledbetter, the losing petitioner in the high court case — was introduced in the House and moved out of committee just weeks after the high court announced a strict interpretation of the 180-day filing rule for claims of paycheck discrimination. It has already passed the full House and awaits the Senate’s return from its August recess. And just before the lawmakers left town, the Equal Remedies Act, removing damages caps in Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the nation’s major job bias law, was introduced.
