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Wal-Mart Seeks to Deny Workers’ Disability Benefits—Again |
Last week, Wal-Mart trotted out a new corporate logo in the hopes of turning around its public image as a company that cares more about the bottom line than its employees and customers. But don’t tell that to Jimmy Singleton and Deborah Shank.
Back in November, the retail giant, which made nearly $13 billion in profits last year, sued Shank, a former employee who suffered permanent brain damage in a car accident, to get back $470,000 it spent on her medical bills. After a public uproar, Wal-Mart backed off. Now, Wal-Mart is at it again, with a different target.
David Nassar reports on The Huffington Post that Wal-Mart is trying to prevent a police officer—who was never a Wal-Mart employee—from receiving disability payments for injuries he suffered while trying to protect the public.
Here’s the story, according to Nassar and the Northwest Arkansas’ Morning News. Singleton, a former Pine Bluff, Ark., police officer, was patting down a suspect in 2003 when he was shot in the ankle and knocked unconscious from a blow to the head. He suffered neurological damage, and today is overly sensitive to light and suffers frequent migraines. He still has a bullet lodged in his ankle, making it difficult to walk or stand up for long periods of time.
Singleton is now retired but has spent the past five years waging a nasty court battle to receive disability benefits, which state workers’ compensation officials amazingly say he is not entitled to receive.
A state appeals court has overruled the workers’ comp commission, twice finding the commission wrongly excluded some evidence from consideration. Now the city of Pine Bluff has appealed to the Arkansas Supreme Court.
That’s where Wal-Mart comes in. It has joined with other anti-worker groups, such as poultry giant Tyson Foods, the state Chamber of Commerce and two corporate organizations, and filed a friend-of-the-court brief in the case, arguing that Singleton’s claim should be denied.
Singleton’s attorney Kenneth Harper told The Morning News the “big boys” are interested in the case because they fear the Court of Appeals’ rulings will set a precedent that will allow more people to collect disability claims.
Singleton, who served as McGehee, Ark., police chief from 1993 to 1999, has retired and says he receives some retirement benefits, but that they don’t go far in today’s economy. He told the newspaper he does not understand why so many people object to him receiving benefits for his disability.
I was a chief of police, and I never treated anybody like this.
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Instead of friend of the court read enemy of the worker. These guys feel that workers are chattle (no not cattle but worse). If we can’t work we shouldn’t be paid. real ameicans go out in an old pickup and round up cans and palletts and stuff to sell-Hey you get that hacksaw off my hummers catalytic conveter and give me back the wiring for tennis court and pool lights right now-you know what they do to lazy non workin ex cops in prison don’t you? Why can’t you be like that nice ex I.T. gal who sells me drugs for our parties?
having lobbyed my state legislature for worker comp rules and benefits, as well as ergonomic standards; the groups lined up in Arkansas against this public servant are the same folks who travel from state to state to cry foul every time their bad acts are brought to light. As long as we continue to support these businesses and the organizations that they belong to we will continue to get more of the same. When the Union Plus credit card has millions of dollars in charges made at Wal-Mart, our members are not walking their talk. Check your local Chamber of Commerce membership lists, ask those hometown small business owners if they’re aware of what their ‘parent organization’ is saying or doing on their behalf. Many probably aren’t the least bit aware. Tell them you won’t shop or do business with them until they drop their membership. Let our wallets do our talking, they certainly are. And let those electeds know that you’re looking at who’s contributing to their campaigns. Ask them to return those dollars to those who don’t support working families, but be prepared to work for those candidates to get them elected so they know they don’t need the bums’ money.
It is a damn shame how we Americans have let corporate greed destroy us.And now it is bleeding into our towns and social programs.Damn Shame!
I hope everyone who reads this does not shop at Wal-Mart. I don’t. I urge you, if you have any other options at all (K-Mart, Meijer, etc.) shop there.
What business is this of Wal Marts anyhow? I just don’t understand this.
I wonder if one of the two corporate organization is Pacific Gas & Electric?
Lil George private business have connection with energy and his friend-of-the-court are fighting against lawful rules.
This is why I NEVER shop at Wal Mart. How predictable that this is never reported on any news programs. Obviously Wal Mart is a big advertiser and that old bottom line is far more important than revealing the truth to Americans.
First, Walmart was trying to kill us with tainted food, then, try to kill our pets with tainted food. Lastly, kids toys of all things are full of lead. Damn, haven’t anybody learned that Wally World is all about the profit and not the public that gives them the money. There are times when I wish Timothy McVeigh was still alive to blow up Walmart and their facist friends. And, hope that the Supreme court makes those idiots pay up to a ex-Police Chief.
I do not shop at Wal-Mart beacuse I belive once they come to toown; that is the end of hometown business. I have seen too many small owners go under after Wally world came to town.
Here’s the problem in a nutshell: it is the courts that are suspect, bought by corporations and manipulated by lobbyists. Look at the Supreme Court. It is wrong for the members of the courts to be influenced by a particular party or group, yet they all are. It is also wrong for members of the courts to ally themselves with corporations or any organization that has a motivational, and dare I say, illegal bias, yet they do.
Singleton’s case, as Shanks, should be able to stand on its own merit, and as such, Mr. Singleton should be allowed disability benefits. There is no ‘other’ possible ruling. Wal-Mart and other corporations have absolutely no business in this matter, and the courts would be wise to tell them so, instead of pandering.