Former Walmart Pharmacist Gets 27 Million Dollars in Retaliation Lawsuit

A former Walmart pharmacist was awarded $27.5 million in damages after the District Court of Central California found the company wrongfully terminated her in retaliation for complaining about noncompliance issues. She and three other coworkers filed an underlying class-action lawsuit against the employer for wage and hour violations.

Pharmacist Afrouz Nikmanesh claimed Walmart wrongfully terminated her in September 2014 after she complained about multiple workplace violations. She spoke up about Walmart’s noncompliance with California law.

The company charged Medicare patients more than the Medi-Cal prescription reimbursement rate and did not provide Medicare discounts to qualifying beneficiaries. According to Nikmanesh, Walmart also failed to submit weekly data reports to the California Department of Justice as required by law.

In the class-action lawsuit against Walmart, Nikmanesh and other pharmacists claimed the employer denied overtime pay along with legally mandated meal and rest breaks. Employees were unable to take any breaks as Walmart had a policy that barred them from leaving the pharmacy unattended. Given the shortage of available pharmacists, workers effectively had no choice but to work throughout their shifts without any breaks.

In addition, Walmart provided inaccurate wage statements that failed to account for all hours worked. The plaintiffs also said they were forced to obtain immunization certifications but not compensated for the time spent preparing for the exam.

Nikmanesh reported Walmart’s violations to her supervisors. Instead of investigating the compliance issues, the employer fired her in retaliation for her complaints.

The pharmacist received $40,000 for economic losses, 100,000 for non-economic losses and $60,000 for future non-economic losses. She was also awarded $27.3 million in punitive damages in the lawsuit.

Under California labor laws, workers have the right to speak up about their employer’s illegal activities without the fear of retaliation. Contact Erlich Law Firm right away if you were fired in retaliation for complaining about workplace violations or unpaid wages. An Oakland employment lawyer will advise you of your legal options for pursuing damages.

Read more

substation supervisor dealing with racial discrimination

PG&E Employee Sues For Race Discrimination and Retaliation

A longtime PG&E employee sued the utility company for discrimination, claiming he was subjected to a hostile work environment based on his race. The lawsuit was filed in the U.S. District Court…

READ ARTICLE
workplace sexual harassment lawyer

California Lawsuit Alleges Toxic Workplace at Activision Blizzard

The California Department of Fair Employment and Housing (DFEH) recently sued one of the world’s largest video game publishers for sexual harassment, discrimination and unequal pay. The lawsuit has sent shockwaves throughout…

READ ARTICLE
wage theft lawyer

Oakland Restaurant Settles Wage Theft Lawsuit With Former Workers

Certain types of workplaces are more prone to wage theft, and the restaurant industry is one of them. Not being paid minimum wage, being forced to work without any breaks and not…

READ ARTICLE
workplace sexual harassment lawyer

Six Women Sue Tesla For Sexual Harassment at Fremont Factory

Six current and former female employees filed separate lawsuits accusing Tesla of enabling a workplace culture of “rampant” sexual harassment at its factory in Fremont, California. The company allegedly created a work…

READ ARTICLE
SEEN ON
cnnmoney
marin-ij
dailypost
news10