Wal-Mart Faces Largest Sex Bias Case In US History.

The world's biggest retailer Wal-Mart, could be facing the possibility of paying out billions of dollars in compensation for allegedly discriminating against its female employees.

A US Court has decided that a discrimination claim brought by seven women against Wal-Mart - should be treated as a class action.

According to court documents, Wal-Mart employs more than 1.2 million employees in the US. Two-thirds of them are women.

The women claim Wal-Mart pays female staff up to 15% less than then men, while women make up only one third of those promoted to management.

The case adds to the bad press endured for years by Wal-Mart, which has provoked anger among trade unionists for its employment practices and among conservationists for driving smaller stores out of business.

In March 2005, Wal-Mart settled a criminal investigation into its use of illegal immigrant labor with an $11m payment to the US government.

Wal-Mart, however, has maintained that because promotions are largely made on a store-by-store basis, discrimination was not systemic. Wal-Mart head of HR, Susan Chambers said: "Wal-Mart has strong equal employment opportunity policies, and fosters female leadership both among its associates and in the larger business world." (RTÉ Business)
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