Wal-Mart faces gender bias case
Wednesday, 7 February 2007 14:39
The world's biggest retailer Walmart, could be facing the possibility of paying out billions of dollars in compensation for allegedly discriminating against its female employees.
A US Court has decided that a discrimination claim brought by seven women against Walmart - should be treated as a class action.
According to court documents, Wal-Mart employs more than 1.2 million employees in the US. Two-thirds of them are women.
The women claim Walmart pays female staff up to 15% less than then men, while women make up only one third of those prompted to management.
The case adds to the bad press endured for years by Wal-Mart, which has provoked anger among trade unionists for its employment practices and among conservationists for driving smaller stores out of business.
In March 2005, Wal-Mart settled a criminal investigation into its use of illegal immigrant labor with an $11m payment to the US government.
Wal-Mart, however, has maintained that because promotions are largely made on a store-by-store basis, discrimination was not systemic.
Wal-Mart head of HR, Susan Chambers said: 'Wal-Mart has strong equal employment opportunity policies, and fosters female leadership both among its associates and in the larger business world.'
- One News: Flor McCarthy reports that Wal-Mart may face payouts running into billions of dollars to more than 1m current and former female staff
- One News: Wal-Mart sexual discrimination case gets go-ahead
