Wal-Mart Faces $2 Billion Labor Law Trial

The lawsuit is one of more than 70 cases, including class actions, or group suits, in which Wal-Mart has been accused of wage-law violations.

Wal-Mart Stores Inc. broke Minnesota
labor laws, a state judge ruled, handing the world's largest retailer
its third-straight defeat in a wage-class action trial and the
possibility a jury may order it to pay $2 billion.

The company required hourly employees
to work off-the-clock during training and denied full rest or meal
breaks in violation of state wage and hour laws. Wal-Mart broke labor
laws more than 2 million times and ordered the company to give
employees $6.5 million in back-pay.

The retailer lost a $78 million jury
verdict in Pennsylvania in 2006 over rest breaks and unpaid work and
a $172 million verdict in California in 2005 over meal breaks. Both
verdicts have been appealed.