Walmart

==Labor relations==
[[File:Wal-Mart Workers and Wal-Mart-Free NYC at Occupy Wall Street.vorb.oga|thumb|right|Workers speak during [[Occupy Wall Street]]]]

With over 2.3 million employees worldwide, Walmart has faced a torrent of lawsuits and issues with regards to its workforce. These issues involve [[wage|low wages]], [[Occupational safety and health|poor working conditions]], inadequate [[health care]], and issues involving the company's strong [[trade union|anti-union]] policies. In November 2013, the [[National Labor Relations Board]] (NLRB) announced that it had found that in 13&nbsp;U.S. states, Wal-Mart had pressured employees not to engage in strikes on Black Friday, and had illegally disciplined workers who had engaged in strikes.<ref>{{cite news |url = https://www.latimes.com/business/money/la-fi-mo-nlrb-walmart-20131119,0,1499317.story |title = Fully staffed NLRB investigates complaints against Wal-Mart |first = Alana |last = Semuels |work = Los Angeles Times |access-date = November 26, 2013 |date = November 19, 2013 |url-status=live |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20131126221724/http://www.latimes.com/business/money/la-fi-mo-nlrb-walmart-20131119,0,1499317.story#axzz2lfbzVSap |archive-date = November 26, 2013}}</ref> Critics point to Walmart's high [[Turnover (employment)|turnover]] rate as evidence of an unhappy workforce, although other factors may be involved. Approximately 70&nbsp;percent of its employees leave within the first year.<ref name="Store Wars">{{cite web |url = https://www.pbs.org/itvs/storewars/stores3.html |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20070219083544/http://www.pbs.org/itvs/storewars/stores3.html |archive-date = February 19, 2007 |title = Store Wars: When Wal-Mart Comes to Town |publisher = PBS |access-date = February 28, 2016 }}</ref> Despite this turnover rate, the company is still able to affect unemployment rates. This was found in a study by [[Oklahoma State University]] which states, "Walmart is found to have substantially lowered the relative unemployment rates of blacks in those counties where it is present, but to have had only a limited impact on relative incomes after the influences of other socio-economic variables were taken into account."<ref>Keil, Stanley R., Spector, Lee C. ''The Impact of Walmart on Income and Unemployment Differentials in Alabama.'' Review of Regional Studies; Winter 2005, Vol. 35 Issue 3, p336-355, 20p.</ref>

Walmart is the largest private employer in the United States, with 1.6&nbsp;million employees {{as of|2020|lc=yes}}.<ref name="Volpe"/> Walmart employs almost five times as many people as [[IBM]], the second-largest employer.<ref>[http://www.statisticbrain.com/u-s-largest-employers/ U.S. Largest Employers] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160210023938/http://www.statisticbrain.com/u-s-largest-employers |date=February 10, 2016 }}. Retrieved August 5, 2013.</ref> Walmart employs more [[African Americans]] than any other private employer in the United States.<ref name=NYT4115>{{cite news |author1 = Hiroko Tabuchi |author1-link = Hiroko Tabuchi |author2 = Michael Barbaro |title = Walmart Emerges as Unlikely Social Force |url = https://www.nytimes.com/2015/04/02/business/walmart-emerges-as-unlikely-social-force.html |access-date = April 2, 2015 |work = The New York Times |date = April 1, 2015 |quote = the nation's largest private sector employer of African-American workers. |url-status=live |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20150402155327/http://www.nytimes.com/2015/04/02/business/walmart-emerges-as-unlikely-social-force.html |archive-date = April 2, 2015}}</ref>
While 4.6% of all retail workers, and 16.5% of all U.S. grocery workers, were unionized as of 2020, Walmart does not employ unionized labor and actively discourages unionization and collective bargaining.<ref name="Volpe"/><ref name="Gereffi">{{cite journal |last1=Gereffi |first1=Gary |last2=Christian |first2=Michelle |title=The Impacts of Wal-Mart: The Rise and Consequences of the World's Dominant Retailer |journal=Annual Review of Sociology |date=August 1, 2009 |volume=35 |issue=1 |pages=573–591 |doi=10.1146/annurev-soc-070308-115947 |url=https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev-soc-070308-115947 |access-date=October 12, 2022 |language=en |issn=0360-0572 |archive-date=November 9, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231109191710/https://www.annualreviews.org/doi/10.1146/annurev-soc-070308-115947 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="Yue">{{cite journal |last1 = Ingram |first1 = Paul |last2 = Yue |first2 = Lori Qingyuan |last3 = Rao |first3 = Hayagreeva |date = July 2010 |title = Trouble in Store: Probes, Protests, and Store Openings by Wal-Mart, 1998–2007 |jstor = 653596 |journal = [[American Journal of Sociology]] |publisher = [[University of Chicago Press]] |volume = 116 |issue = 1 |pages = 53–92 |doi = 10.1086/653596 |s2cid = 145171645 }}</ref>

Walmart rebranded their Associate Education Benefits to Live Better U in March 2019. Live Better U supports associate education at every level and includes $1 a day college program, cost-free high school education, and discounts on higher education programs through partnership with [[Guild Education]].

In April 2019, Walmart Inc. announced plans to extend the use of [[robots]] in stores in order to improve and monitor [[inventory]], clean floors and unload trucks, part of the company's effort to lower its labor costs.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/walmart-is-rolling-out-the-robots-11554782460|title=Walmart Is Rolling Out the Robots|last1=Nassauer|first1=Sarah|date=April 9, 2019|work=[[The Wall Street Journal]]|access-date=April 23, 2019|last2=Cutter|first2=Chip|issn=0099-9660|archive-date=November 24, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201124055456/https://www.wsj.com/articles/walmart-is-rolling-out-the-robots-11554782460|url-status=live}}</ref>

In June 2019, Walmart Inc. announced the expansion of education benefits to recruit high school students. The incentives include flexible work schedules, free SAT and ACT preparation courses, up to seven hours of free college credit, and a debt-free college degree in three fields from six nonprofit universities.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.cnbc.com/2019/06/03/walmart-is-going-after-high-school-students-in-war-for-talent.html|title=Walmart is going after high school students in war for talent|last=Thomas|first=Lauren|date=June 4, 2019|publisher=CNBC|access-date=June 6, 2019|archive-date=December 26, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201226215434/https://www.cnbc.com/2019/06/03/walmart-is-going-after-high-school-students-in-war-for-talent.html|url-status=live}}</ref>

===Gender===
In 2007, a [[Discrimination|gender discrimination]] lawsuit, ''[[Dukes v. Wal-Mart Stores, Inc.]]'', was filed against Walmart, alleging that female employees were discriminated against in matters regarding pay and promotions. A [[class action]] suit was sought, which would have been the nation's largest in history, covering 1.5&nbsp;million past and current employees.<ref name="Greenhouse 07">{{cite news |title = Court approves class-action suit against Wal-Mart |last1 = Greenhouse |first1 = Steven |url = https://www.nytimes.com/2007/02/07/business/07bias.html |newspaper = The New York Times |date = February 7, 2007 |access-date = February 28, 2016 |url-status=live |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20150605041701/http://www.nytimes.com/2007/02/07/business/07bias.html |archive-date = June 5, 2015}}</ref> On June 20, 2011, the [[Supreme Court of the United States|United States Supreme Court]] ruled in Wal-Mart's favor, stating that the plaintiffs did not have enough in common to constitute a class.<ref name="SCOTUS_Walmart">{{cite news |title = Wal-Mart Stores, Inc., Petitioner v. Betty Dukes et al. |url = https://www.supremecourt.gov/opinions/10pdf/10-277.pdf |access-date = June 21, 2011 |newspaper = [[Supreme Court of the United States|United States Supreme Court]] |date = June 20, 2011 |url-status=live |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20110621230523/http://www.supremecourt.gov/opinions/10pdf/10-277.pdf |archive-date = June 21, 2011}}</ref> The court ruled unanimously that because of the variability of the plaintiffs' circumstances, the class action could not proceed as presented, and furthermore, in a 5–4 decision that it could not proceed as any kind of class action suit.<ref name="Lennard_Natasha">{{cite news |last = Lennard |first = Natasha |title = The Supreme Court sides with Wal-Mart |url = http://www.salon.com/news/feature/2011/06/20/supreme_court_sides_with_wal_mart/ |access-date = June 21, 2011 |newspaper = [[Salon (website)|Salon]] |date = June 20, 2011 |url-status=live |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20110621171105/http://www.salon.com/news/feature/2011/06/20/supreme_court_sides_with_wal_mart |archive-date = June 21, 2011}}</ref> Several plaintiffs, including the lead plaintiff, Betty Dukes, expressed their intent to file individual discrimination lawsuits separately.<ref name="Clifford_Stephanie">{{cite news |last = Clifford |first = Stephanie |title = Despite Setback, Plaintiffs to Pursue Wal-Mart Cases |url = https://www.nytimes.com/2011/06/21/business/21walmart.html |access-date = June 21, 2011 |newspaper = The New York Times |date = June 20, 2011 |url-status=live |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20110624070249/http://www.nytimes.com/2011/06/21/business/21walmart.html |archive-date = June 24, 2011}}</ref> Dukes died in 2017.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Corkery |first1=Michael |title=Betty Dukes, Greeter Whose Walmart Lawsuit Went to Supreme Court, Dies at 67 |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2017/07/18/business/betty-dukes-dead-walmart-worker-led-landmark-class-action-sex-bias-case.html |website=The New York Times |access-date=November 17, 2022 |date=July 18, 2017 |archive-date=November 17, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221117170434/https://www.nytimes.com/2017/07/18/business/betty-dukes-dead-walmart-worker-led-landmark-class-action-sex-bias-case.html |url-status=live }}</ref> In 2020, Walmart agreed to pay $20&nbsp;million, stop using a pre-employment test, and furnish other relief to settle a companywide, sex-based hiring discrimination lawsuit filed by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC).<ref>{{cite web |title=Walmart, Inc. to Pay $20 Million to Settle EEOC Nationwide Hiring Discrimination Case |url=https://www.eeoc.gov/newsroom/walmart-inc-pay-20-million-settle-eeoc-nationwide-hiring-discrimination-case |website=U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission |access-date=November 17, 2022 |date=September 10, 2020 |archive-date=November 17, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221117170436/https://www.eeoc.gov/newsroom/walmart-inc-pay-20-million-settle-eeoc-nationwide-hiring-discrimination-case |url-status=live }}</ref>

According to a consultant hired by plaintiffs in a sex discrimination lawsuit, in 2001, Wal-Mart's [[Equal Employment Opportunity Commission]] filings showed that female employees made up 65 percent of Wal-Mart's hourly paid workforce, but only 33&nbsp;percent of its management.<ref name="Conlin 01">{{cite news |title = Is Wal-Mart hostile to women? |last1 = Conlin |first1 = Michelle |url = https://www.bloomberg.com/bw/stories/2001-07-15/is-wal-mart-hostile-to-women |magazine = Bloomberg |date = July 16, 2001 |access-date = February 28, 2016 |url-status=live |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20160306080220/http://www.bloomberg.com/bw/stories/2001-07-15/is-wal-mart-hostile-to-women |archive-date = March 6, 2016}}</ref><ref name="zellner">{{cite news |title = No way to treat a lady? |last1 = Zellner |first1 = Wendy |url = https://www.bloomberg.com/bw/stories/2003-02-20/no-way-to-treat-a-lady |magazine = Bloomberg |date = March 3, 2003 |access-date = February 28, 2016 |url-status=live |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20160306075839/http://www.bloomberg.com/bw/stories/2003-02-20/no-way-to-treat-a-lady |archive-date = March 6, 2016}}</ref> Just 35&nbsp;percent of its store managers were women, compared to 57 percent at similar retailers.<ref name="zellner"/> Wal-Mart says comparisons with other retailers are unfair, because it classifies employees differently; if department managers were included in the totals, women would make up 60&nbsp;percent of the managerial ranks.<ref name="zellner"/>

===Sexual orientation and gender identity===
In the [[Human Rights Campaign]]'s (HRC) 2002 [[Corporate Equality Index]], a measure of how companies treat [[LGBT]] employees and customers, gave Wal-Mart Stores Inc. a score of 14%.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://assets2.hrc.org/files/assets/resources/CorporateEqualityIndex_2002.pdf?_ga=2.49340005.2131199168.1520940955-1798760037.1512127430|title=2002 Corporate Equality Index|access-date=March 19, 2018|archive-date=September 19, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200919011517/https://assets2.hrc.org/files/assets/resources/CorporateEqualityIndex_2002.pdf?_ga=2.49340005.2131199168.1520940955-1798760037.1512127430|url-status=live}}</ref> By 2017, however, HRC's 2017 Corporate Equality Index gave Wal-Mart Stores Inc. a score of a 100%.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://assets2.hrc.org/files/assets/resources/CEI-2017-Final.pdf?_ga=2.11745527.2131199168.1520940955-1798760037.1512127430|title=2017 Corporate Equality Index|access-date=March 19, 2018|archive-date=November 13, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181113015240/https://assets2.hrc.org/files/assets/resources/CEI-2017-Final.pdf?_ga=2.11745527.2131199168.1520940955-1798760037.1512127430|url-status=live}}</ref> In 2003, Walmart added sexual orientation to their anti-discrimination policy.<ref>{{cite news |author = Kershaw, Sarah |url = https://www.nytimes.com/2003/07/02/us/wal-mart-sets-a-new-policy-that-protects-gay-workers.html |title = Wal-Mart Sets a New Policy That Protects Gay Workers |work = The New York Times |date = July 2, 2003 |access-date = October 1, 2006 |url-status=live |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20120617024456/http://www.nytimes.com/2003/07/02/us/wal-mart-sets-a-new-policy-that-protects-gay-workers.html |archive-date = June 17, 2012}}</ref> In 2005, Walmart's definition of family began including [[Same-sex marriage|same-sex partners]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.hrc.org/Template.cfm?Section=Press_Room&CONTENTID=24994&TEMPLATE=/ContentManagement/ContentDisplay.cfm|title=HRC Applauds Wal-Mart's Inclusive Family Policy (press release)|date=January 27, 2005|publisher=[[Human Rights Campaign]]|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070930015532/http://www.hrc.org/Template.cfm?Section=Press_Room&CONTENTID=24994&TEMPLATE=%2FContentManagement%2FContentDisplay.cfm|archive-date=September 30, 2007|access-date=October 1, 2006}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url = http://www.hrc.org/Template.cfm?Section=Get_Informed2&Template=/ContentManagement/ContentDisplay.cfm&ContentID=33909 |title = Corporate Equality Index |publisher = Human Rights Campaign |year = 2006 |access-date = November 2, 2006 |url-status=dead |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20061006104644/http://www.hrc.org/Template.cfm?Section=Get_Informed2&Template=%2FContentManagement%2FContentDisplay.cfm&ContentID=33909 |archive-date = October 6, 2006 }}</ref><ref name=EqualityIndex16>{{cite web |url = http://hrc-assets.s3-website-us-east-1.amazonaws.com//files/assets/resources/CEI-2016-FullReport.pdf |title = Corporate Equality Index 2016: Rating American Workplaces on Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Equality |publisher = Human Rights Campaign |page = 69 |type = PDF |access-date = December 25, 2015 |url-status=live |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20151227150010/http://hrc-assets.s3-website-us-east-1.amazonaws.com//files/assets/resources/CEI-2016-FullReport.pdf |archive-date = December 27, 2015}}</ref> In 2006, Walmart announced that "diversity efforts include new groups of minority, female and [[gay]] employees that meet at Walmart headquarters in Bentonville to advise the company on marketing and internal promotion. There are seven business resource groups: women, [[African Americans]], [[Hispanic]]s, [[Asian people|Asians]], [[Native Americans in the United States|Native Americans]], gays and [[lesbian]]s, and a [[Disability|disabled]] group."<ref>{{cite web |url = http://nlpc.org/sites/default/files/Walmart_SR.pdf |title = Wal-Mart Embraces Controversial Causes |publisher = [[National Legal and Policy Center]] |access-date = December 7, 2012 |author = Carlisle, John |page = 23 |url-status=dead |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20130117025431/http://nlpc.org/sites/default/files/Walmart_SR.pdf |archive-date = January 17, 2013}}</ref> From 2006 to 2008, Walmart was a member of the [[National Gay & Lesbian Chamber of Commerce]].<ref name="Walmart's remarkable gay rights journey"/> In 2011, Walmart added [[gender identity]] to their anti-discrimination policy.<ref>{{cite web |url = http://www.advocate.com/politics/2016/8/31/why-walmart-became-lgbt-friendly |title = Why Walmart Became LGBT-Friendly |date = August 31, 2016 |url-status=live |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20160903001537/http://www.advocate.com/politics/2016/8/31/why-walmart-became-lgbt-friendly |archive-date = September 3, 2016}}</ref> Walmart's anti-discrimination policies allow associates to use restroom facilities that corresponds with their gender identity and [[gender expression]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.yourstephenvilletx.com/article/20120717/News/307179884|title=Company bathroom policy causes stink|first=Amanda|last=Kimble|date=July 17, 2012|work=Stephenville Empire Tribune|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180612163217/http://www.yourstephenvilletx.com/article/20120717/News/307179884|archive-date=June 12, 2018}}</ref> In 2013, Walmart began offering [[health insurance]] benefits to [[Domestic partnership|domestic partners]].<ref name="Walmart's remarkable gay rights journey">{{cite web|url=https://qz.com/374896/walmarts-remarkable-gay-rights-journey/|title=Walmart's remarkable gay rights journey|first=Matt|last=Phillips|date=April 2015|access-date=March 19, 2018|archive-date=November 30, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201130224340/https://qz.com/374896/walmarts-remarkable-gay-rights-journey/|url-status=live}}</ref> In 2015, [[Doug McMillon]], CEO of Walmart, issued a statement opposing [[Arkansas HB 1228|House Bill 1228]] and asked Governor [[Asa Hutchinson]] to veto the bill.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://corporate.walmart.com/_news_/news-archive/2015/03/31/walmart-statement-on-arkansas-house-bill-1228|title=Walmart Statement on Arkansas House Bill 1228|website=corporate.walmart.com|access-date=March 16, 2018|archive-date=March 17, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180317102219/https://corporate.walmart.com/_news_/news-archive/2015/03/31/walmart-statement-on-arkansas-house-bill-1228|url-status=dead}}</ref> In 2016, Walmart began offering full healthcare benefits to its transgender employees.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.gayrva.com/news-views/wal-mart-adds-full-healthcare-benefits-for-transgender-employees/|title=Wal-Mart adds full healthcare benefits for transgender employees|website=GayRVA|access-date=April 9, 2019|archive-date=February 3, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190203072204/http://www.gayrva.com/news-views/wal-mart-adds-full-healthcare-benefits-for-transgender-employees/|url-status=dead}}</ref>