| Author | Subject: Washington State Issues First of it's Kind to Take Over Wal-Mart's Compensation Claims Program. |
| Advocate | Posted At 23:57:19 12/20/2000
Retail giant failed to pay proper benefits to injured workers'. The state of Washington is taking over Wal-Mart Stores Inc.'s workers' compensation program because the company has delayed payments, underpaid wages and benefits and has more than 300 employees' workers' compensation claims outstanding. Since 1994, the state of Washington has repeatedly given Wal-Mart warnings and fines concerning their handling of compensation claims. But now thirty-one thousand dollars and 66 violations later, the Washington State Department of Labor and Industries felt it had no other choice and has made an unprecedented decision to take over Wal-Mart Stores Inc. compensation claim in Washington. ``We've met with Wal-Mart staff many times. We've told them what they need to do. Despite our efforts, despite their promises, they've missed the mark,'' Gary Moore, director of the Washington State Department of Labor and Industries. In 1998, Wal-Mart employees in Washington filed 772 claims. In 1999, over 100 more claims were filed. But the state agency said that Wal-Mart's poor record keeping made it impossible to say how many times injured workers had been unable to file claims, so the number remains unclear. Wal-Mart's disregard for the law can also be found in other states where it operates Wal-Mart and Sam's Club. The state of West Virginia moved Wal-Mart into the workers' compensation "adverse risk" pool, requiring a 15 percent hike in its premium rates, because of the company's poor safety record and its refusal to take steps to improve its safety. A federal judge in Florida sanctioned Wal-Mart a total of $7,000 for repeated discovery violations, including altering a safety training video. The case was settled for a confidential sum shortly before the judge was to consider criminal contempt charges against Wal-Mart and its attorneys. In Connecticut nearly 1,000 current and former employees of Wal-Mart and Sam's Club stores won $325,192 in back pay when Wal-Mart unlawfully refused to permit its employees on the night shift to leave the stores during their meal breaks. |
| Advocate |
Re: Washington State Issues First of it's Kind to Take Over Wal-Mart's Compensation Claims Program. (Currently 0 replies)
Posted At 01:08:23 12/21/2000 Consumers need to look behind the smiling face of Wal-Mart For more Information about Wal-Mart go to the Page of Shame. Each time you save money from products bought from these stores it deprives another employee from receiving benefits. If this company is planning building a store in your community, Fight hard to keep them out, Your neighbors will thank you for it. Wal-Mart is the nation's largest private employer with 900,000 employees. Wages at Wal-Mart are from $2 to $3 below average for the retail trades. Over 600,000 Wal-Mart workers are not covered under the company health benefit plan. |
| LP |
Re: Washington State Issues First of it's Kind to Take Over Wal-Mart's Compensation Claims Program. (Currently 0 replies)
Posted At 02:06:08 12/22/2000 I am(or WAS) a member of the Retail Clerks Union, and I personally would NOT step foot into a WallMart if my very LIFE depended on it. They are notorious for treating their employees with intimidating brutality, and is a Corporation, like many whose motto is: Profit before PEOPLE. I was in the GROCERY industry for many years and I saw the same things happening in regard to Ergonomic standards and *problem solving* for a safer working enviornment. PROFITS far outweigh safety in the workplace, and yet claims are filed daily, and as a result I have lost my *earning power*, just as many others have. Fighting this *unjust* system is the only way to WIN. If you give up, THEY win. I will NEVER give up simply because THEY OWE ME. |
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