Question

Case Study 15: Wal-Mart: Challenges with Gender Discrimination

Provide a summary of the issues Wal-Mart has faced with gender discrimination using both this case study and an article you locate on the topic published in the last 6 months.

Answer 1

Ans) Issues Walmart faced with gender discrimination:-

- Over the years several lawsuits have been filed against Walmart for gender discrimination against its employees. So much so that Walmart has 1.5 million current and former female employees representing the lawsuits. This has made Walmart the largest workplace discrimination case in US history.

- Several cases regarding workplace gender bias were filed in the years 2001, 2003, 2004, 2007, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2017 and 2019 against Walmart. They complained that all the female employees were discriminated with on the basis of bonuses, salary and training against men who were on the same position.

- The cases in the latter years demanded for compensation which must include payback for damages and lost salary and job benefits. Many of whom were promised better positions in the MIT program and more for their hardwork but we're constantly rejected while male employees with lesser experience were applied for the position.

- The lawsuit was dismissed in 2011 on the basis of technicalities. The US supreme court dismissed it without issuing any decision on the merits.

- Another lawsuit was also dismissed on August 2013 denying it to be given class certification. However, female employees continued to file cases against Walmart individually and in smaller groups.

- Walmart has many times been accused of having enough irregular schedules and insufficient sick days making it a difficult workplace for mothers. The majority of the managers and officials were men in 2015.

- According to a study which was conducted in 2003, a female Walmart employee earned $5200 less than a male employee in a year. Submitted to public pressure Walmart raised its payment for female employees to $9 per hour which still is less than the 2016 federal poverty line a not enough to feed even a family of two.

- Walmart is the world's largest chain of retail stores and also a billboard of workplace gender discrimination. It spent several years defending itself from time to time against all these allegations but ended up tarnishing it's reputation. However, its working to improve itself and hopefully we will hear no more of these allegations in the future.