Wal-Mart Loses Lawsuit Over Work Breaks

Minnesota Judge Rules Superstore Forced Employees To Work Off The Clock

(AP)  A Minnesota judge ruled that Wal-Mart cut short employees' rest and meal breaks and forced them to work off the clock, violating the state's labor laws 2 million times.

The judge's order in the class-action lawsuit against the discount retailer awards the plaintiffs $6.5 million in compensatory damages.

An attorney for the plaintiffs expects Wal-Mart will pay much more than that after a jury in October considers a civil penalties and punitive damages.

Justin Perl, who represented the plaintiffs, says Dakota County Judge Robert King Jr.'s ruling sends a message to Wal-Mart that the company must pay for its mistakes.

The ruling, which was handed to the parties Monday evening, comes after similar judgments against Wal-Mart in Pennsylvania and California. Wal-Mart is appealing those rulings.

Wal-Mart did not immediately comment.

[cheetah-man7]

Shut up you liberals. I would shop at Walmart but am afraid that my rich neighbors would think I am poor and gossip about it.

Posted by moneybags77


Assuming you have money (and that is a big assumption) you clearly do not have the class that goes along with money and power - only the ''wannabe'' attitude of the poor or neuvo-riche. Your name alone tells us all that! Sophisticated people of money do not brag about their assets nor show off their wealth. P.S. There are many millionaires who shop at WalMart on a regular basis.

"hi welcome to commiemart"
dangerous foods isle 10, poisonus toys isle 13, no need for federal laws, cust service desk

[noloyalisti]

Wal-Mart shoppers = communist sympathizers.

triplet-man: sad but true friend, sad but true. welcome to the united states of corp. america

triplet-man: sad but true friend, sad but true. welcome to the united states of corp. america

[triplet-man]

crazycwp

It''''s time to bring the unions back and do away with the right to work laws. The us labor dept. is supposed to protect us but the people incharge of that are the same ones who own the corporations who want to screw us out of our benefits. Regulate trucking again and let the truck driver make a living again.


Exactly RIGHT! Why does it take a LAW suit in court to straighten out something that the LABOR dept is "protecting" workers from??

[triplet-man]

Dear jerriemc23

there are rules that are called "laws" and some of them are called "federal", and it just so happens this one is called the "fair wage act". If you work at a place, they put this sign up in a "breakroom" so you can "sue" ppl like walmart for voilating them.


PROBLEM IS... when you are working at Walmart you probably can''t AFFORD the justice that you deserve because you can''t hire an attorney. The only attorneys that will take cases like this are the "class action" lawsuits Where they can make a BUNCH of money. Individual lawsuits they won''t even mess with.

Shut up you liberals. I would shop at Walmart but am afraid that my rich neighbors would think I am poor and gossip about it.

Posted by moneybags77

so you''d rather have ppl not talking about you than fair pay and worker rights? wow. i bet your mortage is 4000.00 a month and one day you''ll be so broke i''ll see you at wally world as a greeter

sorry ianlou, wrong person (my bad)

dear ianlou,
there are rules that are called "laws" and some of them are called "federal", and it just so happens this one is called the "fair wage act". If you work at a place, they put this sign up in a "breakroom" so you can "sue" ppl like walmart for voilating them.

[ianlou]

in some states, breaks are not considered a "right" for wokers, meaning an employer does not have to give you a break. and lunch breaks are only mandated if employees work at least 5 hours.
Posted by whatsup49

Yeah? and in some mid-east countries women are punished for allowing themselves to get Raped.

Whats your point?

Do you believe if some states are allowed to abuse their employees, all states should be allowed?

If so, you are a greedy putz.

[crazycwp]

It''s time to bring the unions back and do away with the right to work laws. The us labor dept. is supposed to protect us but the people incharge of that are the same ones who own the corporations who want to screw us out of our benefits. Regulate trucking again and let the truck driver make a living again.

I do EVERYTHING in my power to not shop there. thank goodness for other discount stores. For those that have no other choice but to shop there, i feel for ya. they are some the most greediest, selfserving people around.

[livingonless]

I do not buy much at WalMart.I do not wish to work there.Prices of what I used to buy there have gone up..I have heard about how the treat people who used to work there. It used to be a made In America store. What happened to that.

[reptilian96]

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[noloyalisti]

What Wal-Mart doesn''t make enough money from us allowing them to profit from our the commons people own?

Actually if you shop there you are a communist appeaser since most of their cheap plastic stuff in made in China. Typical right wing corporation, bottom line is everything!

[triplet-man]

Or Instead of relying on the GOVERNMENT to fix things for ya why not join a union, comprised of members that are truely there for YOU.
Red tape encumbers most all forms of govt.
It only takes a 51% majority of the workforce in ANY buisness to become signatory to a union then ALL of the workers are represented.
It''s as simple as a majority signing up. The buisness is bound by labor laws to NOT dispute or discriminate against this action. Their ONLY choice to avoid it is to CLOSE down their buisness for at least 12 months.

[triplet-man]

The government WILL NOT step up for you They will only "react" to the will of the masses that have the ability to AFFECT them.

[triplet-man]

kansas1946 So you think that the "working persons" don''t deserve a fair wage, benefits, retirement, breaks, working conditions, SAFETY, etc etc in the workplace.
My experience with my union has encompassed THESE things that are important to me and the STRENGTH of middle class America The strength of this country was built on the suffering of the union members before us.
THEY are the ones who WON us the 40 hr work week. Overtime pay. On and on. If it were not for the GROUPS of people (formed into work Unions) we may not have these privilages today.
Let us not forget where we came from. To see where we are headed.

[kansas1946]

Unfortunately, when government tried to make the business climate more friendly to businesses, after the decades of abuses and greediness of the unions, the businesses became greedy and abusive to their employees. Listen up, busninesses. Employees are an asset and should be treated as such. Happy employees make for better business. You can put that in the bank. Employees need breaks, vacations, health care, and dignity. If you don''t step up on your own, the government will step up for you.