Wal-Mart pharmacist awarded $2 million
July 10, 2007
A Massachusetts jury awarded a female pharmacist $2 million in a lawsuit against Wal-Mart. Lawyers for Cynthia Haddad said that during her 11 years working for the company she was paid less than men who worked as pharmacists in charge, and was then fired for questioning it.
Wal-Mart said they fired her not because of her gender, but because she had, on occasion, left the pharmacy with only a technician to fill prescriptions in her absence, and for other lapses in judgment.
Her lawyers, however, have pointed out that male pharmacists were guilty of worse lapses, but were never disciplined for them.
Massachusetts regulation allows the technician to remain in the pharmacy when the pharmacist is gone.
A HR expert who studied the companies Pharmacy Operations Manual testified that Wal Mart failed to communicate and enforce its policies equally or update employees on policy changes.
After deliberating for 8 hours, the jury ruled in Haddad’s favor on every count. In addition to having Wal-Mart reimburse her for lost wages, they ordered the company to pay her $95,000 in damages for improper termination, $125,000 for emotional distress, and $17,700 in financial damages. The jurors decided that Haddad was owed $733,000 in wages that she would have earned over the course of her career had she not been fired, as well as punitive damages of $1 million.
Wal-Mart said they likely will appeal.
Comments
One Response to “Wal-Mart pharmacist awarded $2 million”
Got something to say?
Powered by WordPress
holy schnikes! I was fired by Wal Mart for a bullshit reason.. I should sue them, too! hahaha