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Wal-Mart Settles Dozens of Suits Over Wage and Hour Practices

Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. and thousands of the company's workers have reached an agreement to settle 63 class action lawsuits over the retail giant's employment wage and hour practices.

According to a Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. Press Release issued Tuesday, the company will pay at least $352 million (and up to $640 million) to thousands of its current and former employees nationwide, and will "continue to use various electronic systems and other measures designed to maintain compliance with its wage and hour policies and applicable law." The New York Times reports that "[t]he dozens of wage-and-hour suits against Wal-Mart accused the company and its managers of various illegal tactics," including "forcing employees to work unpaid off the clock, erasing hours from time cards and preventing workers from taking lunch and other breaks that were promised by the company or guaranteed by state laws."

• Wal-Mart and Plaintiffs' Counsel Announce Settlement of Most Wage and Hour Class Action Lawsuits Against the Company (Wal-Mart Stores, Inc.)
• List of Settled Wage and Hour Class Actions (Wal-Mart Stores, Inc.)
• N.Y. Times: Wal-Mart to Settle Suits Over Pay
• L.A. Times: Wal-Mart Settles Dozens of Worker Class-Action Lawsuits
• When You Have to Be Paid for Not Working (FindLaw)
• Employee Rights: Wages and Benefits (FindLaw)
• Stages of a Civil Case: Settlement (FindLaw)
• What is a Class Action Case? (FindLaw)

Full post as published by FindLaw's Common Law on December 24, 2008 (boomark / email).