Measuring the Impact of High Court's 'Ledbetter' Ruling
Last month the Supreme Court ruled in Ledbetter v. Goodyear that disparate treatment pay discrimination claims under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 must be filed within 180 days after the alleged discriminatory pay decision. The decision makes it more difficult for employees to challenge the cumulative effects of past discriminatory pay decisions. Jenner & Block partners Carla Rozycki and David Haase discuss the history of the case leading to the high court ruling as well as the aftermath.
By Carla J. Rozycki and David K. Haase | Updated on June 13, 2007
The United States Supreme Court has held in a 5-4 opinion that disparate treatment pay discrimination claims under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, as amended, must be filed within 180 days (or 300 days, depending upon the state) after the alleged discriminatory pay decision, not within 180 (or 300) days after the plaintiff's last paycheck. Ledbetter v. Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co., Inc., __ S.Ct. __, 2007 WL 1528298 (May 29, 2007). This decision makes it more difficult for employees to challenge the cumulative effects of past discriminatory pay decisions.