Over the past week, many Kansas and Missouri residents celebrated the Thanksgiving holiday. Another related tradition for many is participating in the shopping that happens on the day after Thanksgiving — a day more commonly known as Black Friday. Many stores have preset sales specifically for Black Friday and Walmart is no exception. Walmart is typically a busy store on Black Friday, but this year claims of employee rights violations may have overshadowed the enticement of the Black Friday deals.
Employee rights are an important aspect in our society, especially in Kansas and Missouri. When an employer violates or infringes upon their employees’ rights, the individual employees may have a cause of action against the employer. If the employee files an employee rights lawsuit against an employer, the employer may be punished through fines and reporting requirements moving forward.
In some instances, the affected employee does not file a lawsuit against his or her employer and the employer that violated the employee’s rights is not held accountable. If the employer has a history of violating employee rights, the reaction could potentially be bigger than an individual lawsuit.
Walmart has been in the news during the past year for various employee rights violations. It seems that the employee rights violations may have been felt by more than the individuals who filed the lawsuits, as employees in more than twelve stores have staged a strike. Unifying employees for employee rights can be effective. Experienced employment attorneys help clients determine if their case is better suited for an individual lawsuit or a class action.
Source: The Examiner, “Walmart Black Friday boycott & strike threat grows,” Mark Wachtler, Nov. 18, 2012
