Final answer:
Ledbetter v. Goodyear was a Supreme Court case where Lilly Ledbetter filed for pay discrimination, but the court ruled against her due to the statute of limitations. The subsequent Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act extended the time for filing complaints each time a discriminatory paycheck was issued.
Step-by-step explanation:
The case of Ledbetter v. Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company (2007) involved Lilly Ledbetter, who worked for Goodyear from 1979 until 1998. Over time, Ledbetter discovered she was being paid less than her male counterparts. She filed a lawsuit citing pay discrimination under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act. However, the Supreme Court ruled 5-4 that her suit was not filed within the 180-day statute of limitations counted from the date of the first discriminatory paycheck. This decision did not consider the ongoing nature of each discriminatory paycheck as a new violation.
In response, the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act of 2009 was enacted and signed by President Barack Obama. This act redefined and expanded the time period for filing pay discrimination claims. It now counted each discriminatory paycheck as a new violation that resets the 180-day statute of limitations, allowing more time for employees to discover and act upon pay discrimination. This change was indicative of the system of checks and balances, where a legislative change can address the outcomes of a judicial ruling.