Wednesday, January 14, 2004

Assistant Store Managers File Wage and Hour Class Action Against Wal-Mart

Three assisant managers (AMs) employed by Wal-Mart Stores, Inc., have filed suit against the world's largest employer, alleging that it should pay overtime compensation, meal period compensation, and rest period compensation to all of its California AMs.

The law suit alleges that Wal-Mart routinely requires its AMs to work more than eight hours per day and 40 hours per week, but fails to pay the AMs overtime compensation. The law suit also alleges that Wal-Mart routinely fails to provide the AMs with the meal and rest periods required by California law, and fails to pay the AMs for their missed meal and rest periods. The law suit seeks compensation, interest, and penalties on behalf of all AMs employed by Wal-Mart in California at any time since January, 2000. It also seeks to force Wal-Mart to change its compensation policies, so that AMs are paid for their overtime hours.

The AMs are represented by Steven G. Pearl of The Pearl Law Firm in Los Angeles. "California law requires employers to pay their employees overtime wages, even if they are on salary," Mr. Pearl said. "Wal-Mart calls our clients 'assistant managers' and pays them a salary, but the reality is that they spend almost all of their time doing the same routine tasks that the hourly employees do. Unless Wal-Mart is going to give its AMs real administrative or executive authority, it needs to provide them overtime compensation, meal periods, and rest periods, like its other non-exempt employees."

Additional information is available from The Pearl Law Firm at (818) 995-8300