Court upholds $151 million verdict against Wal-Mart over employees' treatment at break time

Pennsylvania's highest court is upholding a $151 million verdict in favor of employees at Wal-Mart and Sam's Club who say they were forced to work through their breaks.

The Philadelphia Inquirer (http://bit.ly/1wHsApW ) says Monday's decision affects 187,000 people who worked for Bentonville, Arkansas-based Wal-Mart Stores Inc. between 1998 and 2006.

Wal-Mart says it thinks the case should not have been a class action lawsuit and it's considering a federal appeal.

The lawsuit involved employees being off the time clock when they were supposed to be on break or being forced to skip breaks.

Wal-Mart argued it was subject to "trial by formula." But a lawyer for the employees says individual pay records were analyzed and summarized.

The justices sent the case back to a Philadelphia judge to recalculate attorneys' fees.

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Information from: The Philadelphia Inquirer, http://www.inquirer.com