Judge OKs Class-Action Suit Against Wal-Mart

A judge approved a class-action lawsuit against Wal-Mart Stores Inc. by employees in Pennsylvania who say the company pressured them to work off the clock, a claim mirrored in suits filed around the country.

In Pennsylvania, the lead plaintiff’s suit alleges that she worked through breaks and after quitting time -- eight to 12 unpaid hours a month, on average -- to meet work demands.

A California jury last month awarded Wal-Mart workers $172 million for illegally denied lunch breaks, and a similar Colorado case was settled for $50 million.