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U.S. Tom Harkin, D-Iowa, joined a bipartisan group of senators today that is introducing legislation to reverse a controversial U.S. Supreme Court ruling that narrowed employee rights to sue over employment discrimination.

The Fair Pay Restoration Act addresses the Supreme Court's decision in Ledbetter vs. Goodyear Tire and Rubber Co. that Lilly M. Ledbetter, a supervisor at a Goodyear Tire plant, could not sue for pay discrimination because she did not file her claim within 180 days of her pay being set.

"The Supreme Court’s recent ruling in the Ledbetter case ignored the realities of the workplace and placed illogical restrictions on women’s ability to fight for the pay they deserve," Harkin said in a prepared statement. "This legislation will ensure that the Supreme Court’s mistake does not hinder women from fighting for fair compensation. Given the fact that women still earn only 77 cents for every dollar a man makes, it is imperative that women have the right to challenge their employers for fair pay.”

People for the American Way has launched a petition and web video (shown below) featuring Ledbetter to support the Fair Paid Restoration Act and companion legislation in the House of Representatives.

“Congress has a rare opportunity to correct a terrible decision by the Supreme Court,” said Ralph G. Neas, president of People For the American Way. “The Roberts Court made it more difficult for Americans to recover wages unfairly denied them and much easier for employers to engage in pay discrimination with impunity. Congress must act now to undo the Court’s unjust assault on the individual rights of American workers and the laws passed by Congress to protect them.”

The bill clarifies the Civil Rights Act’s statute requiring cases be filed within 180 days “after the alleged unlawful employment practice occurred.” Specifically, the bill classifies each paycheck in which an employee is unfairly paid as a new act of discrimination. Therefore, employees would have 180 days after their last paycheck in which to sue for fair compensation. Given the secrecy of pay scales in the workplace, this clarification is considered crucial in ensuring employees’ right to petition for fair compensation does not expire before they have the opportunity to discover they are being discriminated against.

Other co-sponsors are Democratic Sens. Joe Biden of Delaware, Barbara Boxer of California, Hillary Clinton of New York, Chris Dodd of Connecticut, Dick Durbin of Illinois, Diane Feinstein of California, John Kerry of Massachusetts, Patrick Leahy of Delaware, Claire McCaskill of Missouri, Barbara Mikulski of Maryland, Patty Murray of Washington, Barack Obama of Illinois, Jack Reed of Rhode Island, Debbie Stabenow of Michigan and Sheldon Whitehouse of Rhode Island. Republican senators Olympia Snowe of Maine and Arlen Specter of Pennsylvania are additional co-sponsors of the legislation. Independent Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont is also a co-sponsor.

A longtime champion of fair pay for women, Harkin also recently introduced the Fair Pay Act. This legislation would address the historic pattern of undervaluing and underpaying so-called “women’s” jobs. The bill requires the disclosure of pay scales and rates for all job categories at a company, without identifying the individual employee. This would make it easier for a woman to learn of pay discrimination closer to the date she begins working for an organization, enhancing her ability to advocate for better pay.