Wal-Mart in final settlement of $17.5M bias suit

Little Rock, Ark. A federal judge has given final approval to a $17.5 million settlement of a discrimination lawsuit that accused Wal-Mart Stores of not hiring black truck drivers.

U.S. District Judge William R. Wilson Jr. on Wednesday signed an order in Little Rock, Ark., approving the settlement in the class-action case, a ruling that will also have the chain take steps to hire more black drivers.

Attorney Morgan "Chip" Welch said Thursday that members in the class applied to drive for Wal-Mart between 2001 and 2008 and were turned away in disproportional numbers. Of the approximately 4,500 plaintiffs, those that applied earliest stand to receive the greatest settlement payments.

The settlement includes job placements for 23 of the black drivers who sued. The company will also have to notify other members of the class of future openings and establish hiring goals so that the company hires in proportion to the ethnic makeup of its applicants.

Wal-Mart also agreed to put greater effort into minority recruitment and target some of its jobs advertising to reach African-Americans.

In a Feb. 20 news release it issued when the settlement proposal was announced, the retailer denied any unlawful discrimination and said resolving the case would be in Wal-Mart's best interest. The settlement stipulates that the agreement is not evidence that Wal-Mart engaged in discrimination or any other unlawful conduct.

The judge still has to rule on fees in the case, which are proposed at $6.3 million, including up to $450,000 in costs. That sum would come out of the $17.5 million settlement, leaving $11.2 million for members of the class to divide.