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Wal-Mart Stores Inc.



Philadelphia, PA: A class action lawsuit was filed on behalf of thousands of Pennsylvania employees alleging the retail chain systematically missed rest breaks and hours worked beyond regular shifts. The class claimed Wal-Mart made Pennsylvania workers skip more than 33 million rest breaks from 1998 to 2001 to boost productivity and curb labor costs. The class included approximately 186,000 current and former employees. A Philadelphia jury has awarded workers $78.5 million. (Oct-13-06) [BLOOMBERG: WAL-MART SETTLEMENT]

UPDATE:
OCT-03-07: The workers of Wal-Mart in Pennsylvania have won an additional $62.3 million in damages over and above the $78.5 million class action award they won earlier for working off the clock. As per a state law, a company cannot withhold pay, without cause, for more than 30 days, pertaining to that about 125,000 people will receive $500 each in damages. In 2006, a Philadelphia jury rejected Wal-Mart\'s claim that some people chose to work through breaks or that a few minutes of extra work here and there was insignificant and awarded the workers the exact amount they had sought.

In the Pennsylvania class action suit the initial $78.5 million award represented 187,000 current and former employees of Wal-Mart and Sam\'s Clubs who worked from March 1998 through May 2006. The latest settlement of $62.3 million is about a smaller number of 125,000 employees who qualified for the damage award, which excludes others by legal time limits and those seeking interest on the back wages. The payments for lost wages to the workers are expected to range from about $50 to a few thousand dollars subject to their employment history. According to the Plaintiff\'s lawyer, his clients have not yet received any money and likely won\'t for some time if the company appeals. The company sources say that many employees testified that they skipped rest breaks by choice despite the company discouraging such practice and employers should not be penalized for that.


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Reader Comments

Posted by

on
I literally just heard about this today!!! 2-1-18. I have never received anything in the mail or heard of this suit or any other for that matter. I worked for Walmart from 1993-1998. This company had done me wrong in so many ways it is pathetic. They did have me work through breaks clock in before I was to start my shift. sometimes an hour ahead of my scheduled time to be there.I would work on my days off. Each and every time they would have me believe I would get to keep my overtime hours. Never once did I! They would always cut my hours so there was NO OVERTIME on the clock. I worked mostly 3rd shift. I worked in receiving, I ran a checkout , I cooked for my co workers, washed dishes and the cleaned the kitchen area. I cut fabric. I done everything but change a flippin tire. I never was compensated for the "Cross Training jobs I did. I never once complained. I just did my job. I was wrote up a time or two, my manager said I wasn't working fast enough. He just wanted the shelves faced out to look good. Well... I can't do that. I always did my job RIGHT! Every year that we made inventory they promised us a bonus. We made inventory a few times, NEVER SAW A DIME.. However.. the higher ups were getting thousands upon thousands and they did not do a doggone thing to help our store accomplish this. WE DID.. My last 6 months there. I went to first shift. That really pissed my manager off. He told me I would never go to first shift and when I did, they were out to find a reason to fire me. I was on my way to work I was in an accident { no fault of mine} I tried to go on in but my lower back was hurting. I left to go see a dr. I was under a his care. He suggested I do not go back to work until he has released me to do so. It was about 6 months later. I went in to see about getting my schedule. The store manager at that time told me, because I was not able to work during the Christmas Chaos, I had no job to come back to. I believe I was wrongfully fired as well. I would like nothing more than to get some form of compensation. Someone PLEASE tell me how to do this.. Thanks

Posted by

on
I still have not received my check either. I got a letter that said it would be sent out in May of 2017. I lost the paper I received in the mail does anyone have the official website where I can read about it, email them etc. please?

Posted by

on
hi I received a letter that I was suppose to get a check but never received the check

Posted by

on
Walmart is stalling on my payment they have had all my information since December I called several times and they keep moving up my payment date first it was april then may then june 2017 now they are saying it could be December They keep saying they are wailting for other people to update their info before they can get the judge to release my payment which is ridiculous some may never sk for their payment

Posted by

on
Has anyone heard anything?

Posted by

on
Any idea

Posted by

on
Is there a number to call to find out if i will be compensated for the years I was employed with walmart.

Posted by

on
How do I know if I will be compensated for the years employed?

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