Wal-Mart Loses Pennsylvania Suit on Worker Meal Breaks
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Wal-Mart Stores Inc. violated Pennsylvania labor laws by forcing employees to work during rest breaks and off the clock, according to a state jury’s verdict Thursday.
The Bentonville, Ark., retailer, which was sued by two former employees on behalf of 187,000 current and former hourly Wal-Mart workers, faces paying damages that plaintiffs’ lawyers said could reach $162 million. The lawsuit covers labor practices at Wal-Mart and Sam’s Club stores between 1998 and 2001.
The jury ruled in Wal-Mart’s favor on a separate charge — that it denied workers meal breaks.
Wal-Mart spokesman John Simley declined to comment on the Thursday verdict until the jury had reached a verdict on damages. “The jury is still in deliberations at this hour,” Mr. Simley said. “We’ve got to let the jury complete its work.” Plaintiffs’ lawyers couldn’t immediately be reached for comment. Last December, a California jury awarded $172.3 million to Wal-Mart workers that had claimed they were forced to skip meal breaks. Shares of Wal-Mart on the New York Stock Exchange recently traded at $48.19, down 13 cents, or 0.3%.
