House of Representatives Acts Quickly on Labor Issues in 2009

This week, the House of Representatives is planning on bringing two pieces of legislation to the House floor that would change how pay disparity in the workplace is handled as well as allow for a new influx of frivolous lawsuits against employers.  The first bill, the Ledbetter Fair Pay Act, would restart the filing period for a discriminatory act each time a paycheck is issued and would expand the class of people able to bring claims against employers. The second bill, the Paycheck Fairness Act, would provide for unlimited punitive and compensatory damages while limiting employer defenses, as well as make it easier for class action lawsuits to be filed.  As was the case last year, both bills are expected to easily pass the House. The Senate held hearings on these issues in the 110th Congress but did not hold any votes.  AGC will track these bills as the debate moves to the Senate. Normally, the first week of a new Congress is dedicated to procedural actions such as determining the makeup of committee membership.  The choice to bring two labor bills immediately to the floor as well as bypassing any Committee action on the legislation is a strong indication of the approach the House of Representatives is going to take on labor issues the next two years.