When Wal-Mart Wants Its Money Back

Dear Mary Ann

How do you think Wal-mart gets the so called "affordable" products? Do you really think they get them by doing good? No, they use sweat labor and abuse their people. Not to mention the people who work in the Wal-mart stores, they are not allowed to have overtime, but the managers make them work off the clock by telling them if they don't they can always find someone who will. If you don't believe me take a look at some of the documentaries made about Wal-mart....please look at both sides before making a statement like that. And the only reason wal-mart dropped the law suit is because they were getting a LOT of bad PR...think about that, the only time that company does what they call "the right thing" is when they get too much bad attention from the media.

Allison of MI @ Apr 05, 2008 19:34:08 PM

Walmart was right to ask for the money back

No one suggested the lawyer in the case only take a small fee for what was a very easy case. He took his third and no one said a word. Walmart paid all the costs for the lady and would still be paying the medical bills if the woman had not received a settlement. Walmart only asked for the money that the woman received for her medical expenses (that were already paid by Walmart) be returned to Walmart. Walmart has many people insured and has to keep the plan on a solid footing. It just happens to be a very unfortunate case. No one bother to criticize the husband who divorced his wife (and I didn't know you could divorce someone who is not able to make decisions) so she could get her nursing home paid for by Medicaid. What is going to be done with her "trust fund" then? Also, the husband used part of the money to buy a home suitable for his handicapped wife, but now she doesn't live in. So, what goes with this. Could she live in the house and he could use the trust fund to pay for someone to come in during the day and look after her? After all, he is there at night and could look after her then. Thus he could cut the nursing home bill way down. Thank goodness for Walmart that gives people affordable places to buy food and other essentials. All of you hypocrites will see what happens if you are in the same situation and the union doesn't make a big deal out of it. You will be paying back the settlement you get.

Mary Ann of CA @ Apr 04, 2008 19:26:08 PM

To Vemus Jones of Oregon....

If you actually dig...Wal-mart does have both hands in those factories! And some of those factories actually have Wal-Mart's name on them. They run the entire show! Please take a look at the following site, it's just on example that wal-mart does run those factories! Please don't think they do no wrong, there is plenty of proof that they are greedy, and don't care about anything but the bottom line and making oddles of money at other peoples expense.

http://media.www.dailytexanonline.com/media/storage/paper410/news/2006/10/25/StateLocal/WalMart.Factory.Workers.Complain.Of.Long.Hours.Bad.Pay-2400346.shtml

Allison of MI @ Apr 03, 2008 16:45:31 PM

Wal Mart - why are they are bad people

Let's be really brutally honest about this - the ONLY reason wal-mart backpedaled was because they were getting skewered on EVERY cable network news and Network news reports, in addition to the internet. They would not have done this, otherwise.

Let's also be really honest about another fact - absolutely NO MEMBER of the Walton family (Sam's Kids), stepped up to offer to help this woman and her family. It's really shameful. Collectively they are worth what....over $30 Billion?

Wal Mart, and the Walton family are PATHETIC excuses for corporate citizens, and take no interest in their employee's well being. They can issue are the PR to the contrary, but let's be really honest - their true colors came through in this instance.

Lee Scott, and other senior executives need to have bad things happen in their lives, maybe then it will hit home. Perhaps they will then develop some sort, ANY level of empathy. Until that happens however, they will remain truly useless examples of human beings. I wonder how their spouses feel about this? Are they are embarrassed by Wal Mart and the Walton Family as the rest of America at this time?

Steve of TN @ Apr 02, 2008 16:26:34 PM

blame the lawyers

Since this clause was known to be in the Walmart health care plan then the need to repay the $470K to Walmart should have been part of the claim in the legal action against the trucking company. The settlement should simply have been adjusted upwards to cover the Walmart claim in addition to the amount needed to provide futre care. Seems to me that the lawyers were simply not on the ball.

TS of MA @ Apr 02, 2008 15:08:22 PM

Wal-Mart

For those who wrote that Wal-Mart is greedy, need to get the facts straight. You obviously have no idea how much they send to charities and to the communities. Shame on the media for bringing this particular story to the forefront, but not Wal-Mart's charitable contributions to society. Easy to pick on the giant.

Ken of AR @ Apr 02, 2008 13:20:15 PM

Who should pay

Based on the comments it appears that the prevailing sentiment is that the entitiy/person with money should pay the bills for someone who doesn't have any money. If you agree and would apply it to Wal-Mart (or any other entitiy) be sure to apply it in your own personal life.

MJ Walker of AR @ Apr 02, 2008 11:26:53 AM

A Little Too Late

Thanks for doing the right thing Wal-Mart--But, it's just a little too late for me. I won't enter your doors again. This put me way over the edge. Shame on You.

Amber Randall of IL @ Apr 02, 2008 10:04:37 AM