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  3. A sharply divided federal appeals court on Monday exposed Wal-Mart Stores Inc. to billions of dollars in legal damages when it r

A sharply divided federal appeals court on Monday exposed Wal-Mart Stores Inc. to billions of dollars in legal damages when it r

admin2022-08-27  29
问题     A sharply divided federal appeals court on Monday exposed Wal-Mart Stores Inc. to billions of dollars in legal damages when it ruled a massive lawsuit alleging gender discrimination over pay for female workers can go to trial.
    The Court said the world’s largest private employer will have to face charges that it pays women less than men for the same jobs and that female employees receive fewer promotions and have to wait longer for those promotions than male counterparts.
    Wal-Mart successfully convinced the court that women who allege discrimination should file individual lawsuits. Wal-Mart employs 2.1 million workers in 8,000 stores worldwide and argued that the conventional rules of class action suits should not apply because each outlet operates as an independent business. Since it doesn’t have a company-wide policy of discrimination, Wal-Mart argued that women alleging gender bias should file individual lawsuits against individual stores.
    The ruling was a "big black eye for Wal-Mart, and it’s not going to heal anytime in the near future," said retail consultant Burt P. Flickinger. Flickinger said the ruling could turn off women shoppers—the company’s critical base—at a time it faces increased pressure from a host of competitors, ranging from Kroger to J.C. Penney.
    Wal-Mart’s fourth-quarter results, announced in February, showed that total sales at its US Wal-Mart stores fell for the first time since the company went public in 1969. The company also reported its third consecutive quarter of declines in sales at stores opened at least a year. Sales at stores opened at least a year are considered a key indicator of a retailer’s health.
    Wal-Mart’s top lawyer Jeff Gearhart said the company disagreed with the ruling and was considering its next step, which could include an appeal to the US Supreme Court.
    "We do not believe the claims alleged by the six individuals who brought this suit are representative of the experiences of our female associates," said Gearhart, an executive vice president. "Wal-Mart is an excellent place for women to work and fosters female leadership among our associates and in the larger business world."
    Unions and other critics have long complained that Wal-Mart’s workplace practices needed improvement, especially in the areas of diversity and career advancement. The company employs 1.4 million workers in the United States and the unions claim the company’s labor practices are widely followed.
    Wal-Mart responded to the pressure last year at its annual shareholders’ meeting by announcing a plan to address the issue of promoting women, creating a "global council" comprised of 14 Wal-Mart female executives.
    "We are proud of the strides we have made to advance and support our female associates and have been recognized for our efforts to advance women through a number of awards and accolades (荣誉)," Gearhart said.
What does Wal-Mart suggest women alleging gender bias to do properly?
选项 A、It is better for them to file lawsuit against the store for which they are working.
B、It is advisable for women workers to sign contracts about salary and promotion.
C、It is more proper for women workers to collect enough evidence before suing.
D、It is appropriate for women workers to start to operate an independent business.
答案A
解析 根据题干中的信息词women alleging gender bias，可以把答题线索定位到第三段的最后一句。第三段的最后一句表示：“它认为那些控告沃尔玛性别歧视的女性应该分别针对各个分店提起单独诉讼。”这与选项A的内容相吻合，所以本题选A。文中并没有提到证据(evidence) 不足，所以选项B错误。文中也并没有提及合同(contracts) ，选项C也不正确。选项D提到的“女性员工开始经营自己事业的做法”文中并未提及。
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