By Chelsey Dulaney
Wal-Mart Stores Inc. said Tuesday that it is considering an
appeal of Monday's Pennsylvania Supreme Court decision to uphold a
settlement in class-action suit over worker pay.
The Pennsylvania court upheld a 2007 judgment that required
Wal-Mart to pay $188 million in back pay and fees for failing to
pay employees for all hours worked and denying them breaks.
Wal-Mart had appealed the decision, first to the Pennsylvania
Superior Court of Appeals and later to the state's supreme
court.
Michael Donovan, an attorney representing the plaintiffs, said
an appeal would be "just another delaying tactic to prevent
Wal-Mart from paying its employees the money that Wal-Mart stole
from them."
As a result of the Pennsylvania decision, Wal-Mart said it
expects to take a six-cent hit to its per-share earnings for the
quarter ending in January. Wal-Mart in November forecast per-share
earnings of $1.46 to $1.56 for the quarter.
Wal-Mart has paid out millions over the years to settle legal
battles over its treatment of workers.
In 2012, Wal-Mart agreed to pay employees $4.8 million in back
wages and damages, as well as $464,000 in civil penalties, after
the U.S. Department of Labor found the company failed to pay
overtime to more than 4,500 workers.
That followed a $352 million settlement the Bentonville,
Ark.-company paid in 2008 to settle 63 suits across the country
over allegations it didn't provide workers with proper rest and
meal breaks.
Write to Chelsey Dulaney at Chelsey.Dulaney@wsj.com
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