Lawsuit filed in Fargo against Wal-Mart over wages, hours
Lawsuit filed in Fargo against Wal-Mart over wages, hours
The Associated Press
FARGO, N.D. — A lawsuit filed here against Wal-Mart Stores Inc. alleges the retailer has tried to avoid state wage and hour laws and forced workers to work off the clock and through breaks.
The lawsuit, filed in federal court this week, seeks class action status, as well as lost wages, interest, attorney's fees and other expenses.
The lawsuit was filed on behalf of Lori Kraemer, a former worker at Sam's Club in Grand Forks, who claims Wal-Mart manipulates time and wage records and uses other methods to try to hold down employee wages. Kraemer worked at the Grand Forks store from 1993 to June 2002.
Wal-Mart owns and operates 10 stores, including Sam's Club stores, in North Dakota. The 20-page lawsuit accuses the retailer of "systematically understaffing its stores and setting impossible profit standards for each department" to skirt state wage laws.
John Simley, a spokesman for Wal-Mart, said he could not comment specifically about the case. In generalk, he said, "We have very clear policies on meal and rest breaks. It's our policy to pay every associate for every hour they have worked."
The lawsuit says thousands of people, with losses of more than $5 million, may have claims against Wal-Mart.
Managers earn financial bonuses by holding down expenses and overhead costs, the lawsuit contends.
"Wal-Mart's nefarious policy of failing to pay its hourly employees for all time worked is, in part, facilitated through its corporate culture," it says.
"Wal-Mart convinces its employees that they are part of its 'family,' where they will be rewarded for being a team player," the lawsuit says.
"Having instructed and conditioned its employees to be team players or lose their jobs, Wal-Mart gives them assignments that typically can't be completed within their scheduled hours," it says.
Wal-Mart has faced lawsuits in other states over wages. A California jury last year ordered the company to pay $172 million to thousands of current or former workers who said they were denied lunch breaks. Wal-Mart has said it will appeal.
"Plaintiffs have had some success but we have been successful at the appellate levels," Simley said. "Broadly, suits of this nature aren't appropriate for class treatment."
———
Information from: The Forum,
http://www.in-forum.com
Copyright 2006 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
The Associated Press
FARGO, N.D. — A lawsuit filed here against Wal-Mart Stores Inc. alleges the retailer has tried to avoid state wage and hour laws and forced workers to work off the clock and through breaks.
The lawsuit, filed in federal court this week, seeks class action status, as well as lost wages, interest, attorney's fees and other expenses.
The lawsuit was filed on behalf of Lori Kraemer, a former worker at Sam's Club in Grand Forks, who claims Wal-Mart manipulates time and wage records and uses other methods to try to hold down employee wages. Kraemer worked at the Grand Forks store from 1993 to June 2002.
Wal-Mart owns and operates 10 stores, including Sam's Club stores, in North Dakota. The 20-page lawsuit accuses the retailer of "systematically understaffing its stores and setting impossible profit standards for each department" to skirt state wage laws.
John Simley, a spokesman for Wal-Mart, said he could not comment specifically about the case. In generalk, he said, "We have very clear policies on meal and rest breaks. It's our policy to pay every associate for every hour they have worked."
The lawsuit says thousands of people, with losses of more than $5 million, may have claims against Wal-Mart.
Managers earn financial bonuses by holding down expenses and overhead costs, the lawsuit contends.
"Wal-Mart's nefarious policy of failing to pay its hourly employees for all time worked is, in part, facilitated through its corporate culture," it says.
"Wal-Mart convinces its employees that they are part of its 'family,' where they will be rewarded for being a team player," the lawsuit says.
"Having instructed and conditioned its employees to be team players or lose their jobs, Wal-Mart gives them assignments that typically can't be completed within their scheduled hours," it says.
Wal-Mart has faced lawsuits in other states over wages. A California jury last year ordered the company to pay $172 million to thousands of current or former workers who said they were denied lunch breaks. Wal-Mart has said it will appeal.
"Plaintiffs have had some success but we have been successful at the appellate levels," Simley said. "Broadly, suits of this nature aren't appropriate for class treatment."
———
Information from: The Forum,
http://www.in-forum.com
Copyright 2006 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
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