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Lilly Ledbetter, a prominent advocate for workplace equality who played a pivotal role in the establishment of the Fair Pay Act of 2009, has passed away at the age of 86 in Alabama. The cause of her death was respiratory failure, her family announced.

In 1979, Ms. Ledbetter began working at the Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company in Gadsden, Alabama. Initially, her wages were on par with those of her male colleagues, but over time her pay significantly lagged behind, a disparity she discovered only in 1998 through an anonymous tip. By then, Goodyear employees faced termination for discussing wages, a common practice to suppress salary transparency.

Motivated by this revelation, Ms. Ledbetter filed a complaint with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission in 1998 and subsequently sued Goodyear in 1999. In 2003, a federal court in Alabama ruled in her favor, granting her $3.8 million, which was later reduced to $300,000 plus $60,000 in back pay. Despite this victory, Ms. Ledbetter did not receive any of the money.

The case reached the Supreme Court, where in 2007, the justices ruled 5-4 in favor of Goodyear, arguing that Ms. Ledbetter's claim was filed too late. However, Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg's dissent inspired a legislative response, leading to the creation of the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act. This landmark legislation, signed into law by President Barack Obama in 2009, reset the 180-day limit for filing a wage discrimination claim with each discriminatory paycheck.

Ledbetter’s advocacy did not end there. She continued to push for transparency and fairness in the workplace, appearing alongside President Obama again in 2014 as he signed additional measures to help women discover pay discrimination.

Born Lilly McDaniel in Alabama, she was the daughter of mechanic J.C. McDaniel and Edna Smith McDaniel. She is survived by her daughter Vickie Ledbetter Saxon, her son Phillip, and several grandchildren. Her husband, Charles, passed away in 2008.

Lilly Ledbetter's story has left a lasting impact on the fight for equal pay, and her legacy continues to inspire future generations.