Goodyear issues statement on Ledbetter Fair Pay Act

ERJ staff report (DS)

Akron, Ohio -- Following the signing of the Ledbetter Fair Pay Act by US president Barack Obama, Goodyear Tire & Rubber has issued a statement declaring its support for fair pay.

The new Act was triggered by the experiences of Lily Ledbetter, a long-time employee of Goodyear. She was denied the right to sue for compensation over pay discrimination because of an 18-month clause in the original fair pay bill. She failed to alert anyone to her claim until many years after the events. The new act -- president' Obama's first -- seeks to remove that limitation.

Goodyear said, it "strongly believes in and abides by the laws regarding pay discrimination." But goes on to say that the new law erodes one of the underlying principles of Title VII, which is to encourage individuals to report concerns about discrimination promptly. Goodyear continues, "Under the new law, employers will also be placed in the unfair position of defending claims that are years if not decades old, as Goodyear was in Ms. Ledbetter's lawsuit."

The company adds, "Ms. Ledbetter testified that she first thought her pay was out of line in the early 1990s. Instead of reporting her concern then, she waited until 1998, after she retired, and then pursued a lawsuit. Goodyear encourages associates to report concerns as soon as possible so they can be fairly reviewed and remedied, if necessary."

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Press release from Goodyear