• 03
  • April
    2011

Our last post criticized Walmart because of their poor standards in labor practices. Now, Walmart has landed in the news again because of the way they treat their employees. This time, Walmart is facing a class action sex discrimination case, and according to the Washington Post, it could be the largest job discrimination case ever filed.

The lawsuit is part of a 10-year legal struggle that accuses Walmart of sex discrimination. When the case started in California in 2001, one attorney stated that there is a "company-wide pattern of sexual discrimination that reflects the corporate culture of Wal-Mart."

Since that time, the case has gathered national momentum, and the accusations against Walmart are alarming. The testimonies of females from the company include reports of going to strip clubs or Hooters for business meetings, as well as managers telling women to "doll up," wear makeup and dress better.

The lawsuit that started in 2001 now includes statements from more than 100 women. Each of the women claims she was discriminated against, harassed or faced a hostile work environment because of her sex.

Another main point of the lawsuit is that of pay. The women claim they are consistently paid less than their male counterparts. A statistician was recently brought into the lawsuit to analyze Walmart's payroll and verify the validity of that claim.

Although Walmart has provided rebuttals to the women's allegations, it will be interesting to see whether their responses hold up in Supreme Court on Tuesday. Check back to the blog for additional updates after the trial.

Source: The Washington Post, "Rundown: Wal-Mart sex discrimination suit goes to Supreme Court," 28 March 2011