Legal

[UPDATED] Judge Robert King Jr. ruled in favor of workers on Monday in the Dakota County District Court of Hastings, Minnesota.

"Wal-Mart broke Minnesota labor law more than 2 million times over six years by forcing some employees to work without breaks and without full pay," costing the retail giant up to $2 billion not counting back wages for the 56,000 employees represented under the Braun v. Wal-Mart suit (Star Tribune).

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So far, there are 80 class-action suits in 41 states against Wal-Mart

The atrocious harassment allegedly included a, "...supervisor biting the breasts and grabbing the buttocks of the [young women], making numerous sexual comments, as well as offers of favors in exchange for sex." (EEOC)

Have you been sexually harassed at your fast food job? Brandworkers Legal Defense-Plus can help.

UPDATE: April 1, 2008- Wal-Mart caves to pressure and agrees to stop hounding Debbie Shank!

WATCH THE VIDEO

Debbie Shank getting hit by a semi-truck, becoming severely brain damaged, and losing her U.S. soldier son to war, wasn't enough to shake Wal-Mart's relentless pursuit of money.(CNN)

In a class action lawsuit which could cover 120,000 baristas, a California judge has found that Starbucks unlawfully appropriated baristas tips to pay shift supervisors. Starbucks sought to avoid paying shift supervisors competitive wages by including them in the tip pool. Damages in the case are yet to be determined. (Law.com) and (San Diego Union-Tribute)

Bath Unlimited, a company that filed a lawsuit against its workers after they made injury claims through the workers' compensation system, received its just desserts when the courts ruled that not only did the workers owe the company nothing, but that the company actually owed the workers $426,000 to settle their compensation claims.

The Employment Nondiscrimination Act, a bill seeking to protect gay men, lesbians, and bisexuals against discrimination in the workplace, was passed by the House on November 7.

Chicago Workers' Collaborative is assisting workers who were terminated by WinCup without the 60 day notification that is legally required by the Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act.

On October 10 a federal judge in California ruled to extend the ban on the highly controversial Social Security 'no-match' proposal that is targeting immigrant workers.

The verdict in the McDonald's Strip Search trial is in and it spells bad news for the fast-food giant and good news for the victim and workers everywhere, who saw their right to privacy and dignity reaffirmed. (WCBD-TV)

U.S. Equal Employment Opportunities Commission sues Nordstrom over allegedly harrassing Hispanic and African-American employees.