Wal-Mart might appeal wage suit to Supreme Court

New York - Wal-Mart Stores on Tuesday said that it might appeal the decision of the Pennsylvania Supreme Court, which ordered the discounter to pay $188 million to settle a class-action suit over worker pay.



The Pennsylvania Supreme Court upheld a 2007 lower court ruling in favor of workers who said Wal-Mart failed to pay them for all hours worked and prevented them from taking full meal and rest breaks.



In a securities filing, Wal-Mart said the ruling would reduce the chain’s fourth-quarter earnings from continuing operations by about 6 cents per share. That amounts to roughly 4% of its profit forecast of $1.46 to $1.56 for the period, according to Reuters.



The suit, filed in March 2002, represented about 187,000 Wal-Mart employees who worked in Pennsylvania between 1998 and 2006.



"Most of these claims are over 10 years old," Wal-Mart said in a statement to Arkansas Business. "Walmart has had strong policies in place to make sure all associates receive their appropriate pay and break periods. We have taken additional steps over the last decade, including enhancing our timekeeping systems and additional training, to make sure all our associates understand the importance of those policies and comply with them. We are committed to our 1.3 million associates who work hard every day to serve our customers."