Walmart FAQ sheet

MASLON WINS BIG VICTORY FOR
WAL-MART’S MINNESOTA WORKERS

On July 1, 2008, Judge Robert R. King, Jr. of the Dakota County District Court issued his findings and verdict in the seven year legal battle led by Maslon attorneys, Justin Perl and Jon Parritz, together with Bill Sieben of the Schwebel Goetz & Sieben Firm, to enforce the contractual and statutory rights of Minnesota’s Wal-Mart workers.
Judge King ruled that Wal-Mart committed more than 2 million violations of the Minnesota Fair Labor Standards Act and breached contractual duties owing to Minnesota workers. Wal-Mart now faces statutory penalties of up to $1,000 per violation, which could exceed a total of $2 billion. The Judge also found that the workers were entitled to over $6.5 million in back pay. A jury trial to determine the amount of civil penalties and associated punitive damages is set for October 20, 2008, in Dakota County Court in Hastings, Minnesota.

FAQ: How much money will each class member receive?
ANSWER: Additional hearings will be necessary to decide how the award of back pay will be distributed among the class members. Wal-Mart may also be liable for “punitive damages” for deliberate disregard of employees’ rights.

FAQ: When will money be paid to the class members?
ANSWER: Wal-Mart is entitled to appeal from the final decision, after the Phase II trial in October, and is expected to do so. It is not known when funds will be available for distribution to class members.

FAQ: Who will decide how much Wal-Mart should pay in penalties and punitive damages?
ANSWER: Those issues are set to be heard before a Dakota County jury in Hastings,
Minnesota, in October of 2008.

FAQ: Who is in the class?
ANSWER: The class consists of approximately 56,000 current and former employees of Wal- Mart and Sam’s Club who worked in a Minnesota store between September 11, 1998, and January 31, 2004.