Over three million Wal-Mart hourly employees who worked in 30 states submitted their request for Final Approval of an $85 million dollar settlement to Judge Phillip Pro. The last day for past or current Texas Wal-Mart employees to submit a request for a cash payment is November 9, 2009. All former and current employees are urged to submit a claim. Claim forms are available by calling 1- 800-677- 5163 or by visiting the claim website at www.walmartmdl.com



Texas employees have the option of submitting either a Short Claim Form, which provides for an automatic, fixed payment based on the length of their employment, or a Long Claim Form, which provides for a payment amount based on their length of employment and their answers to questions regarding their personal work experiences. Claimants electing to use the Short Form will receive a standard amount estimated to range between $25.00 and $150.00 based upon their length of service. Employees electing to use the Long Form may instead recover an estimated amount between $50.00 and $300.00, depending on their length of service and number of incidents claimed Depending on the number of claims made the amount of the payment may vary and could go up to $1,000.



If approved it the settlement class will be the largest wage and hour case in United States history. Robert Bonsignore, the employees’ national Lead Counsel said in oral argument “Today is a good day for all concerned. The focus however is singular. Today’s hearing is all about the employees.” “The economic value is extremely large and there is a real ongoing value provided by the injunctive relief.” In addition to making 85 Million dollars available, Wal-Mart also agreed to injunctive relief designed to institutionalize measures that eliminate, minimize and/or red flag for corrective action occurrences that were the subject of the employee’s action.



Texas Counsel Thomas H. Johnson of Texarkana was pleased the Federal Court approved the settlement. Mr. Johnson stated “This case has been a long time coming. I am very proud to be a part of a team of attorneys whom took on the largest corporation in the U.S. and came away with resounding justice for Wal-Mart’s employees.”



Locally, Jason Hicks of New Boston, Texas stated in Court documents “I volunteered to represent many other people with similar claims and damages, because I truly thought it was the best way for all workers subject to similar wage and hour violations at Wal-Mart to recover lost wages and other damages.”



Judge Phillip Pro’s written rulings and order is expected shortly.