http://www.laborradio.org/node/14072ubmitted by Jesse Russell on August 25, 2010 - 3:10pm
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What could end up being the largest gender discrimination suit in United States history has worked its way up to the Supreme Court. A lower court ruling said women who have worked at the retail giant since 2001 could be included in a class action lawsuit – that would amount to as many as 1.5 million women. The company is arguing that the claims of discrimination are too diverse and different in scope and should be considered on an individual basis. The company has been accused of paying women less than male peers and overlooking qualified women for promotion opportunities. The suit was filed nine years ago by six women. Studies conducted by the lawyers representing the women found that although nearly two-thirds of the company’s employees were women only one-third of the company’s management staff was made up of women. The Supreme Court will determine later this year if the suit can go forward as a class action suit. If it does go forward as one suit it could cost Wal-Mart more than $1 billion in damages. The case making it all the way to the Supreme Court will likely result in setting a new standard for how class action suits are determined in the future.