Walmart loses pay fight with truck drivers

A lawsuit dating back to 2008 has ended in a federal jury handing down a $55 million verdict against Walmart, and opening up the retailer to penalties.



The jury found that Walmart failed to pay about 850 of its truck drivers in California all of the compensation to which they were entitled, Reuters reported.



The current and former Walmart truck drivers had sued the chain, claiming a plan that compensated drivers by mileage and activity as opposed to the number of hours worked violated state law. (Walmart dropped the plan in 2015.)



Walmart said it disagrees with the verdict.



“We strongly believe that our truck drivers are paid in compliance with California law and often in excess of what California law requires,” Walmart spokesman Randy Hargrove said in the report. He noted that the chain’s drivers’ average increased from $80,000 to more than $100,000 in earnings per year.



Hargrove said the company will be filing post-trial motions and is likely to appeal the verdict.