<p><em><strong>Solo Moms should understand how they are—and are not—protected against pay discrimination</strong></em></p><p>In case you didn’t know, full-time working women on average make <a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/equal-pay/career" target="_blank">77 cents for every dollar</a> paid to men. If you believe that you are experiencing wage discrimination in your workplace, be aware that President Obama signed <a href="http://www.nwlc.org/resource/lilly-ledbetter-fair-pay-act-0" target="_blank">The Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act</a> in 2009, and you can challenge your pay discrepancy in court. Please take into account that there is a 180-day limit to file a claim from each discriminatory paycheck. If you want to know where to start, check out the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission website page.</p><p>It should be noted that the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act of 2009 came about because Lilly Ledbetter’s 10-year, three-million-dollar judgment against Goodyear had been overturned five to four by the Supreme Court. Since that time, the wage gap has in fact broadened, especially for minority women. So, although <a href="http://www.eeoc.gov/laws/statutes/epa.cfm" target="_blank">equal pay</a> has been a law for more than 50 years, you may still have to fight for your right to parity.</p><hr><p><span style="font-size: 12px;">Photo credit: Shutterstock.com</span><br></p>