Wal-Mart is currently facing allegations of gender discriminating at stores across the Unites States. The company stands against the largest job discrimination suit in U.S. history, involving nearly 1.6 million current and former Wal-Mart employees, according to The Los Angeles Times.
The female employees claim they were overlooked in pay and promotional opportunities based on their sex. NBC News reported this week that one woman was told to dust off her makeup kit and doll herself up if she expected a promotion. While there are distinct differences between discrimination based on gender and sexual harassment, there are also often correlations between the two.
Los Angeles Sexual Assault Lawyers understand the importance of this case and the impact it could have on employees and employers for years to come. While a win for Wal-Mart could be a detrimental blow to bias suits, a win for the employees could prove as a landmark for equality in the workplace.
In many cases, a discrimination lawsuit in Los Angeles, Pasadena or elsewhere in California may be filed as a result of working conditions pertaining to a single store or a single manager. In this case, the suit applies to Wal-Mart as a corporation, collecting allegations from stores across the United States.
"To prove these cases, you rely on statistics. And now all the records are electronic. It's all there at a keystroke," said Brad Seligman, a sexual harassment lawyer.
A statistician hired by the prosecuting lawyer found that women make up nearly two-thirds of Wal-Mart's employees but less that 14 percent hold management positions. The statistician also found that in nearly every job category, women made less than their male coworkers, even though, on average, the women held more seniority in the positions, reports The Times.
Overseeing the case, the high court reportedly has three women on the bench. This is the first time in history the court has ever seen this number for a major sex discrimination case. Included on the bench is Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, who begun her career as a women's rights advocate.
Wal-Mart lawyers have pointed out that the suit is currently representing more women than the combined total of active-duty currently in the U.S. Army, Air Force, Marines, Navy and Coast Guard.
If you need to speak to a sex crimes attorney in Pasadena and are feeling discriminated against in the workplace, contact the California Legal Team at (310) 497-0321 to discuss your rights.
