Court OKs Wal-Mart Calif. Settlement

SN STAFF

OAKLAND, Calif. — A U.S. District Court judge here granted final approval this week to the settlement of a wage-and-hour class-action suit against Wal-Mart's California operations.

The settlement, which provides for a payment of between $43 million and $86 million, concludes more than four years of litigation concerning payment of wages to California workers. As part of the settlement, Wal-Mart also agreed to continue to maintain electronic systems that will protect the rights of workers.

According to Greg Rossiter, a Wal-Mart spokesman, "Our policy is to pay our associates in an accurate and timely manner. Our communication processes and systems will help ensure that's the case."

Louis Marlin, a counsel for the class of workers that filed the suit, said the settlement will resolve the claim that class members were underpaid by approximately $12 million in vacation and other wages when their employment with Wal-Mart ended, "[while] the potential additional $74 million payment represents interest and statutorily-imposed expenses that Wal-Mart may have faced had the matter proceeded to trial."