Federal judge expresses concerns about California lawsuit against Wal-Mart alleging gender discrimination, says case can go forward only if women can provide new evidence not included in similar case overturned by Supreme Court

Cindy Allen

LOS ANGELES , June 11, 2012 (Industry Intelligence) – U.S. District Judge Charles Breyer expressed concerns regarding a California lawsuit against Wal-Mart Stores Inc. alleging that female employees were not given promotions or pay raises on account of their gender, Reuters reported June 8.

The lawsuit, which could represent approximately 45,000 former and current Wal-Mart employees, was filed in October following the Supreme Court’s decision to overturn a similar case in 2011 that would have applied on the national level.

Judge Breyer added during a June 8 hearing that the suit could only move forward if the plaintiffs could provide new evidence that was not included in the case overturned by the Supreme Court.

While attorney for the plaintiffs Brad Seligman argued that the case included new information, Wal-Mart attorney Theodore Boutrous said that the case simply rehashed old arguments against the company.

The primary source of this article is Reuters, London, England, on June 8, 2012.

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