Heavy Duty Trucking Logo
MenuMENU
SearchSEARCH

Judge Blocks Additional $80 Million Penalty in Walmart Drivers Lawsuit

A judge has rejected an additional $80 Million penalty on top of the $54 million drivers were awarded in the Walmart driver wage lawsuit the company lost in November.

by Staff
January 26, 2017
Judge Blocks Additional $80 Million Penalty in Walmart Drivers Lawsuit

 

2 min to read


A judge has rejected an additional $80 Million penalty in the Walmart driver wage lawsuit the company lost in November, according to an Associated Press report.

In the original lawsuit, the court awarded $54 million to more than 800 drivers who worked for the company between October 2005 and 2015. The suit argued that drivers were not being compensated properly for activities such as vehicle inspections, washing or layovers and originally sought $72 million in damages.

Ad Loading...

After being awarded the $54 million, attorneys in the case asked for an additional $80 million in penalties. The judge in the case denied the additional sum, in part because Walmart’s original sum was already one of the highest such compensations in the trucking industry.

The judge did award drivers an additional $6 million for any time they were denied proper compensation by Walmart that was not covered in the original case.

Walmart had argued that drivers shouldn’t be paid minimum wage for layovers or rest time because their pay was based on mileage, not hours, and drivers weren’t working during that time. The company also argued that it was unreasonable to be expected to break down pay by each activity when some of it only took a few minutes to accomplish.

Ad Loading...

Wal-Mart still disagrees with the original verdict and maintains that it paid drivers within compliance of California law, noting its driver's average earnings ranged from $80,000 to over $100,000 per year.

More Drivers

American flag in background with photos of military truck and Freedom Haulers ad graphic
Driversby Deborah LockridgeJuly 30, 2026

Trump Administration Looks to Put More Veterans Behind the Wheel

The Freedom Haulers program pulls together existing and expanded programs at several federal agencies to recruit veterans to drive commercial heavy-duty trucks and cut the red tape for them to get a CDL, training, and employment.

Read More →
Equipmentby Jim ParkJuly 30, 2026

Putting Mack’s Command Steer to the Test

A test drive of Mack’s Command Steer active steering system evaluates how it can make truck driving easier and less tiring.

Read More →
Truck driver behind the wheel with illustration overlaid of someone handing out cash
Driversby Deborah LockridgeJuly 28, 2026

Competition Heating Up for Truck Drivers

New report reveals rising driver hiring costs, the return of sign-on bonuses, growing AI advantages, and the operational factors shaping driver retention.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
Line of gray semi trucks with Fraley & Schilling logo
Safety & ComplianceJuly 15, 2026

How Fraley & Schilling Improved Logbook Compliance by Over 50%

Fraley & Schilling needed a way to close a compliance workflow gap in its ELD system without adding more work from driver training, reminders, and back-office follow-ups. It found the answer in a custom driver app.

Read More →
Volvo American Truck Simulator.
Driversby News/Media ReleaseJuly 8, 2026

Volvo Goes Gaming

Volvo has roared into American Truck Simulator with two new flagship trucks.

Read More →
Two black men in safety vests walking together laughing in a truck fleet yard
Driversby Deborah LockridgeJuly 6, 2026

What the Best Fleets to Drive For Teach About Driver Retention

Survey fatigue, AI-powered routing, owner-operator expectations, and the decline of social media all emerged as themes from this year's Best Fleets to Drive For program.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
Podcast thumbnail showing Jane Jazrawy, the words "When Drivers Tune Out," and a line drawing of a truck.
DriversJuly 2, 2026

Driver Retention Lessons From the Best Fleets to Drive For

What separates trucking's best workplaces from the rest? Jane Jazrawy shares the biggest lessons from this year's Best Fleets to Drive For program on driver retention, communication, AI, and workforce trends on the HDT Talks Trucking podcast.

Read More →
Man standing beside tractor-trailer in sepia tone with the words "Farewell CDL" superimposed on top
Driversby Jack RobertsJuly 1, 2026

Farewell, CDL: Why I'm Giving Up My Commercial Driver's License

After more than 20 years as a CDL holder, HDT Executive Editor Jack Roberts is letting his commercial license expire. Not because he wants to — but because trucking's nuclear verdict crisis has made the risks of public-road test drives too great for editors, manufacturers, and everyone involved.

Read More →
HDT Talks Trucking thumbnail with photo of Jane Jazrawy and the text,, "When Drivers Tune Out"
Driversby Deborah LockridgeJune 24, 2026

How Top Trucking Fleets Improve Driver Retention [Video]

What do healthy snacks, optimized routing, and just picking up the phone have in common? They're all strategies the Best Fleets to Drive For are using to retain truck drivers.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
Trucker Path Cargo Net theft overlay.
Driversby News/Media ReleaseJune 23, 2026

Trucker Path Adds Verisk CargoNet Theft Data to Navigation Platform

Trucker Path’s new cargo theft risk overlays give drivers and fleets visibility into high-risk areas, stolen commodity trends, and theft hotspots.

Read More →