Wal-Mart Discrimination Suit Awaits Ruling
The first ruling on whether Wal-Mart engaged in nationwide
discriminatory practices based on gender may come from the United
States District Court for the Northern District of Georgia in a case
known as Lisa Smith Mauldin, et al. v. Wal-Mart Stores, Inc.
In an Order and Memorandum Opinion dated
August 23, 2002, the Court certified a nationwide class of Wal-Mart
female employees who allege that they have been discriminated against
because the company's health and welfare plan does not cover female
contraceptives.
After completing discovery, the parties
filed Summary Judgment Briefs meaning that if the Court finds there is
no dispute of fact, the Court will avoid trial by ruling on whether
the company's conduct violated the law. The parties are currently
waiting for the Court to issue a decision on motions for Summary
Judgment.
Lead counsel for the case is Janine
Pollack, jpollack@thecorporateinsider.com, who works out of Milberg
Weiss Bershad & Schulman LLP's New York office.
