
BUSINESS NEWS
MARCH 2011
28th Day
Washington, D.C.
It's a hot pursuit especially for the Wal-Mart vs. Dukes civil rights class action lawsuit. It is so far recorded as the largest one in U.S. history. On March 29, 2011 the Supreme Court will begin hearing oral arguments in the class action civil rights of s*x decrimination. At least 1.6 female employees and or former employess has filed the lawsuit against the enormous employment retailer.
The main course of Supreme Court is to decide whether or not the lawsuit can get the go ahead to take place. The case dates back as far as 2001 when Betty Dukes filed the discrimination case alleging that the company discriminated against women in certain pay raises and promotion decisions. In 2004, a district court certified the class allowing it go forth against the large store retailer. Dukes along with the thousands of former or present Wal-Mart female staff claiming in the suit that their civil rights were violated because their s*x.
This largest suit is presented in the Supreme Court to give focus on the size of class and the form of relief available to the women. If the go ahead is allow it could potentially result in Wal-Mart forking out billions of dollars making it also a very significant payoff by the retailer. The end result would also send out a message to employers about the fair treatment of women in the workforce.
Betty Dukes the main plaintiff in the case is still employed by the Wal-Mart organization has been an employee since 1994. Dukes believes she was paid less than men with even less senority and that she was passed over for managerial positions as they became available. Dukes is one of eight named women in the civil rights case but are representative of hundreds of thousands who might have experienced similar overlooks in upgrading positions. It was Wal-Mart intention to settle case by case, but with so many cases of civil rights cases being reported the huge civil s*x-bias case emerged. This would also ease the burden on federal courts who would be faced with thousands of cases against the corporate gigantesque.
Women and feminists activists are anxiously awaiting that the outcome will allow the case to be pursued and give many women a voice to large scale businessess who go endlessly with discrimination of hire or promotions because of their s*xual gender. The Leadership Conference and Civil and Human Rights joined with an number of civil rights groups led by the NAACP Legal Defense and Education Fund in filing enamicus brief in support of the plaintiffs in the case.
"What will be the outcome?...Stay tune for a follow up story."
"Well, didn't tell you I'd see you on a higher note!"
This "Wal-Mart Face-Off" is written by:
MIISRAEL
Hometown Memphis, Tennessee
Posted By: MIISRAEL Bride
Monday, March 28th 2011 at 11:27PM
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