Labor & Employment

Chicago — Jones Lang LaSalle recently appointed senior VP Larry Kilduff, a 25-year industry veteran, as head of the firm’s Midwest Retail platform, which is based in Chicago. Prior to JLL, Kilduff owned and operated two retail real estate development companies and worked with leading retailers including Wal-Mart, Target, Kmart, Sears, Bon-Ton, Kohl’s and J.C. Penney.

Atlanta – The Home Depot, Inc. is reportedly being sued in California Superior Court for unfair, arbitrary attempts to collect damages from customers accused of shoplifting.

According to Bloomberg, a California man filed a class action suit against Home Depot on Sept. 5 after receiving two letters from the retailer’s law firm threatening criminal prosecution if he did not pay hundreds of dollars in damages for taking work gloves worth about $8, which he says he did not steal.

Matthews, N.C. -- Family Dollar Stores announced that it has named Jeffrey W. Macak to the position of executive VP–supply chain.

For the last 13 years, Macak has served as VP-global supply chain for Bed Bath & Beyond, where he was responsible for the supply chain, logistics and distribution of goods for the company and its subsidiaries.

SANDPOINT — Traffic to specialty retailer Coldwater Creek dropped in July leading to lower-than-expected sales for the second quarter ended Aug. 3. The company is taking several steps, including bringing in a new chief marketing officer, in an attempt to turn things around. 

Consolidated net sales for the quarter were $149.7 million, compared with $163.7 million in second quarter 2012. Net sales from the retail segment were $118.6 million, compared with $129.9 million in the same period last year. 

By Greg Slusser, [email protected]

A case on the California Supreme Court’s docket questions whether or not a common law duty requires retailers to have automated external defibrillators (AEDs) ready to use in stores to treat sudden cardiac arrest, which strikes about 380,000 Americans each year and is the leading cause of death in the U.S.

Columbus, Ohio – Employees at the Victoria’s Secret store in Herald Square, New York City have reportedly won concessions on pay and promotions from the retailer. According to CNNMoney, following a petition effort started by employees at the store in June of this year, Victoria’s Secret agreed to give them pay raises between $1 and $2 per hour and also start promoting employees at the location.

Monroe, Mich. -- La-Z-Boy Inc. announced it intends to acquire three La-Z-Boy Furniture Galleries stores located in the Las Vegas market, with combined revenue of approximately $11 million. Included in the transaction are two stores in Las Vegas, and one in Henderson.

Plano, Texas – Coffee press manufacturer Bodum Group is reportedly suing J.C. Penney Co. for breach of contract. According to Reuters, Bodum filed a lawsuit in the New York State Supreme Court on Aug. 30 alleging the retailer did not live up to an agreement to build an agreed number of in-store Bodum specialty boutiques by March 2013.