Wal-Mart admits illegal conduct once again?
Is it just us, or is there a multi-million dollar, enormous settlement that suggests an admission of wrong-doing by Wal-Mart every week? This week, Bloomberg reported that Wal-Mart paid $17.5 million dollars [a small case by Wal-Mart standards] to settle claims that it discriminated against African-Americans in recruiting and hiring truck drivers.
The case originated in 2004 with Daryal Nelson, who filed it in Arkansas, Wal-Mart's home-turf. It became a class action in 2007. Trial would have started in March of 2009, after Wal-Mart's motions to dismiss were denied last month. Wal-Mart continued to deny fault, all while paying multiple million dollars and confirming that "We are implementing improvements..." Wal-Mart also agreed to provide priority placements for 23 prospective black drivers and to establish goals for achieving diversity.