Judge dismisses Texas civil-action suit claims against Wal-Mart

New York -- Wal-Mart Stores Inc. will not face class-action gender-discrimination claims in a federal court lawsuit in Texas, Bloomberg reported. U.S District Judge Reed O’Connor has dismissed the Texas class complaint, finding that the lawsuit was filed too late.



The suit, which alleged the retailer discriminated against women in pay and promotions in the company’s Texas region, sought to represent all women hourly and salaried workers, below store managers, employed by Wal-Mart and Sam’s Club in the region.



The judge also dismissed the suit by lead plaintiff, Stephanie Odle. But he allowed other individual claims to go forward.



A similar suit is pending in California, and complaints were filed this month in Florida and Tennessee.



“We are pleased that the district court has dismissed the class action claims, recognizing the individuals must pursue their own claims,” Theodore Boutrous Jr., a lawyer for Wal-Mart, said yesterday in an interview, Bloomberg reported.