Wal-Mart
Update:
The gender discrimination class action filed against Wal-Mart has been reaffirmed on December 11 2007. It is touted as the biggest sexual discrimination case in United States history. Wal-Mart’s appeal failed to head off this case as a class action lawsuit.
It is estimated that Wal-Mart could lose billions of dollars in lost pay and damages because they have had two million female employees since 1998, when this class action suit was initially filed.
However, Wal-Mart could file a new petition for an appeal and their lawyer, Theodore Boutrous confirmed that the American retailer has intentions to do so.
The 9th Circuit Court of Appeals announced that it will not change its position in the certification of this case but gave both parties allowances to appeal.
Six other women have since joined the suit filed by the original lead plaintiff, Betty Dukes, in 2001.
Walmart class action suit:
This is a landmark nationwide sex discrimination class action lawsuit against America’s largest retail giant. America’s retail giant made headlines on 22 June 2004 when the U.S. District Court ruled that six current and former Wal-Mart employees from California may represent all female employees of Wal-Mart who worked at its U.S. stores since 26 December 1998, in a landmark nationwide sex discrimination class action lawsuit.
Based on statistical analysis, this suit covered approximately 1.6 million female employees who were subjected to unequal treatment, in terms of salary and promotions. While women made up 70 per cent of Wal-Mart’s hourly staff, but only 30 percent were in store managerial roles.
Anecdotal evidence reflected Wal-Mart’s hostile work environment. Top female executive referred to female colleagues as “little Janie Qs”. The company also organized an annual quail hunting retreat that women in the higher positions found objectionable.
Washington, D.C. law firm, Cohen, Milstein, Hausfeld & Toll, represented the women in the case.
According to official website walmartclass.com, the case’s current status has been frozen, that means the decision on Wal-Mart’s appeal of the class certification was still status quo from 28 November 2005.
On 6 February 2007, the federal appeals court upheld a 2004 ruling that gave this gender discrimination lawsuit class action status. Therefore, claims from up to 1.5 million current and former staff, were sanctioned.
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- Wal-Mart class action given the green light
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