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Wal-mart/Jacksonville Shipyards and Sex Discrimination

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In the Case of Sex Discrimination at Wal-Mart.
â?¢What financial impact do you think the lawsuit could potentially have on Wal-Mart?
â?¢What are the major moral complaints of the females suing Wal-Mart? Do you believe these moral complaints are justified? Why?
â?¢What, if anything, do you think Wal-Mart should do to correct these discrepancies? Should the company institute an "affirmative action" promotion program for female employees? If so, what should this program look like?
â?¢Do you think the women deserve to win their lawsuit?
In the Case of Jacksonville Shipyards.
Although the behavior of Robinson's male coworkers is morally objectionable, should management attempt to prevent it? Do you accept the claim that the workers have a right to post pictures in the workplace? Is this a personal problem that workers should handle among themselves?
Title VII does not mention sexual harassment but merely prohibits sex discrimination. Was the treatment of Lois Robinson a form of sex discrimination? Suppose the managers of Jacksonville Shipyards admit that her treatment was morally wrong but deny that they or her male coworkers did anything illegal. Would you agree?
How was Lois Robinson harmed? No one pressured her for sexual favors, she was not denied any advancement or wage increases because of her treatment, and she did not suffer a mental breakdown. Rather, she was offended. Does any employee have a right not to be offended?
The sign "Men Only" on the trailer door might have been intended to keep Robinson from seeing pornographic material and to preserve an all-male enclave in the workplace. Is the posting of the sign morally (and legally) objectionable? Hint: what was the trailer used for?

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Solution Summary

This detailed solution outlines the financial impact the sex discrimination could have on Wal-mart. It also outlines the major moral complaints, whether they are justified, and how Wal-mart should correct these discrepancies. It also discusses affirmative action.
In addition sexual harassment is discussed at Jacksonville Shipyards, and how management could prevent it, as well as details of the case.
The solution includes links and examples.

Solution Preview

In the Case of Sex Discrimination at Wal-Mart. 
What financial impact do you think the lawsuit could potentially have on Wal-Mart? What are the major moral complaints of the females suing Wal-Mart? Do you believe these moral complaints are justified? Why? 
What, if anything, do you think Wal-Mart should do to correct these discrepancies? Should the company institute an "affirmative action" promotion program for female employees? If so, what should this program look like? 
Do you think the women deserve to win their lawsuit?

The financial impact of the lawsuit is potentially large if the class action is certified, since it covers 1.6 million women. However, it is unlikely to be decided in favor of the plaintiffs since the basis is on classification as managers, and Wal-Mart can document that including department managers, women make up 60% of managerial ranks (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wal-Mart). The Supreme Court is scheduled to decide if the women can sue the company as one giant class, and then, rule whether the women can sue for back pay or for judicial orders to force Wal-Mart to change its' behavior. Here is a link with more information: http://www.dailyfinance.com/story/company-news/walmart-biggest-sex-discrimination-case-class-action-supreme-court/19747954/

Last year Novartis was forced to pay a $250 million punitive damage award for sexual discrimination. This affected 5,600 women, roughly $45,000 a head. Should Wal-Mart be found in err, the settlement could be 675,000,000,000! If my calculations are correct and a similar basis is used (http://www.bnet.com/blog/drug-business/why-walmart-will-cringe-at-the-250m-novartis-sex-discrimination-case/4816).

The major moral complaints of the women suing Wal-Mart are that they have been discriminated against in regards to pay and promotions. It is pointed out that 65% of Wal-Mart's hourly paid workforce is women but only 33% of its' management is women, compared to 57% at comparable retailers. According to the suit Wal-Mart uses highly subjective policies to determine pay and promotion decisions. As well, Wal-Mart executives refer to women as "Janie Qs," holds business meetings at Hooters, and attributes the absences of women in top positions to men being more aggressive ...

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