Former Walmart pharmacist wins $31M in discrimination lawsuit

On Behalf of | Feb 8, 2016 | Employment Disputes |

On behalf of Warren & Siurek, L.L.P. posted in Employment Disputes on Monday, February 8, 2016.

Walmart, one of the largest private employers with workers in Texas and across the United States, was sued for unlawfully firing one of its former employees. Her complaint alleged that the company retaliated against her and fired her based on gender discrimination. A federal court jury trial recently concluded.

According to the complaint, the woman was a pharmacist for Walmart for over 13 years. She allegedly became concerned when she noticed the prescriptions of customers were not being filled properly. According to the 47-year-old, the errors were attributable to the fact that the staff was not properly trained. Out of fear for the safety of the customers, the woman purportedly brought her concerns to her superiors.

Apparently, they did not appreciate her voicing her complaints and began to retaliate in an attempt to try to get her fired. When the plaintiff lost her pharmacy key, she was told she was being terminated for doing so. However, a male pharmacist had also lost his key, but he was able to retain his job.

A jury returned a massive jury verdict in favor of the plaintiff, awarding her $31.22 million. Walmart contends that the company has a zero tolerance policy for discrimination and in no way did her termination have anything to do with her raising concerns about prescription errors. The company is seeking to have the verdict overturned or the monetary award lowered. All Texas employees have the right to be treated fairly. Those who believe they have been discriminated against due to a status protected by state and/or federal law may choose to consult with an employment law attorney to determine what steps may be appropriate to protect their legal rights.

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