Hourly Employees v Wal-Mart
Workers Want Class-Action Status in Lawsuit Against Wal-Mart
Attorneys representing hourly employees at Wal-Mart stores in Kentucky have asked a judge to grant class-action status to their lawsuit alleging the retail giant didn't allow them break periods and didn't pay them for work they performed while off the clock.
Boyd County Circuit Judge Marc Rosen did not immediately rule on the motion after a full day of arguments for and against class-action certification Catlettsburg, Kentucky.
The judge said he would review written briefs before making a decision.
The case was filed in 2001 by Kentucky lawyers. One of the attorneys that represents the plaintiffs says that "class-action certification would be the only way some of the potential 145,000 hourly workers at Wal-Marts and Sam's Clubs would be able to demand payment for work performed while not clocked in. "They're asking to be paid the small amount of wages they're owed," she said. "In some cases, it's $600. For some it's $800. We want these people to be able to join in this lawsuit without fear of retaliation."
Wal-Mart has multiple similar lawsuits pending across the country.
