A Pennsylvania judge has ruled that Wal-Mart, which last year lost a class action suit there that claimed it forced employees to work off the clock, now will have to pay the victorious employees $62.3 million in damages. The award is in addition to the $78.5 million already awarded to the plaintiffs by a jury in the case when it was decided last year.
“By this statute the legislature created significant financial incentives for employers to pay workers all the money they've earned by their hard work," Philadelphia Common Pleas Judge Mark Bernstein wrote, saying that "the law in its majesty applies equally to highly paid executives and minimum wage clerks.”
However, nobody is getting any money just yet. Wal-Mart is appealing the verdict in the jury trial.
“By this statute the legislature created significant financial incentives for employers to pay workers all the money they've earned by their hard work," Philadelphia Common Pleas Judge Mark Bernstein wrote, saying that "the law in its majesty applies equally to highly paid executives and minimum wage clerks.”
However, nobody is getting any money just yet. Wal-Mart is appealing the verdict in the jury trial.
- KC's View:
- The problem for Wal-Mart, of course, isn’t just this case. It is the various other similar cases that Wal-Mart is dealing with at the moment, and the possibility that this is just the beginning of a tidal wave of decisions against the company.
