Female employees of Wal-Mart have recently filed charges with the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission claiming they were denied equal pay and promotions when compared to their male counterparts. These complaints are filed against Wal-Mart and Sam’s Club. The complaints date back to 1998. These women claim that not only were men paid more at Wal-Mart but they were also more likely to be promoted over women. This sounds like the old he said she said game. Plaintiffs of the case include Betty Dukes, Patricia Surgeson, Chris Kwapnoski, Deborah Gunter and Edith Arana, who worked at Wal-Mart’s Duarte California store. Not only do these plaintiffs represent themselves but also all women at Wal-Mart who feel like they were discriminated against. The EEOC charges were filed in 48 states, encompassing every Wal-Mart retail region of the United States and a total of 7 law firms are working together on this case to ensure the women receive a fair trial.
Potential class members of the case include anyone who worked at Wal-Mart between December 26, 1998 to the present time and believe they were a victim of discrimination. Plaintiffs are seeking loss wages and of course punitive damages. A potential class member does not need to act now in order to file a claim. Please visit WalmartClass.com for updates as they become available. The following seven law firms will represent the plaintiffs: Impact Fund (Brad Seligman and Jocelyn Larkin); Cohen Milstein Sellers & Toll PLLC (Joseph M. Sellers, Christine Webber, Jenny Yang and Kalpana Kotagal); Equal Rights Advocates (Arcelia Hurtado and Noreen Farrell); Davis, Cowell and Bowe (Steve Stemerman and Betty Lawrence); The Tinkler Law Firm (Stephen Tinkler); The Bennett Firm (Merit Bennett and Talia V. Kosh); Public Justice Center (Debra Gardner); The Law Office of Sheila Y. Thomas, Oakland, CA; Gillespie, Rozen & Watsky, (Hal K. Gillespie). The case will either go to trail or a settlement agreement will be reached before hand to avoid a lengthy drawn out court trail. Please check back for more updates.
