News

The Public Ministry of Labour of Rio Grande do Sul obtained an increase of the fine imposed in August 2014 for the irregular hiring of temporary workers. The sanction also states that Walmart must regularize these workers’ situation, display the court order in all the chain’s supermarkets for public view for at least six months, and publish it during 3 consecutive Sundays in the State’s most widespread newspaper.

The adjustment in the amount, from 100,000 Reais to 1 million, comes from TRT-RS’s trial, with the Public Ministry of Labour’s appeal through public civil action filed by the prosecutor, Philippe Gomes Jardim.

The order issued by the court in August 2014 had already prohibited Walmart from hiring temporary workers, under penalty of paying R $ 20,000 for each irregular hire.

In addition to the increase in the compensation for damages, Walmart must formally register the workers who have irregular status, complying with Article 41 of the labour laws. The judges involved in this case have no doubt that the company has not justified the reasons for hiring temporary workers, or established their salaries as required by law.

The court sentence was based on the Ministry of Labour and Employment’s legal action that found the repeated violation of the law. If Walmart does not comply with all the measures, it will have to pay additional fines ranging from R $ 10,000 per day for not exhibiting the court order in public spaces, to R $ 100,000 if not published in the State’s Sunday newspaper with highest circulation.

Source: Espaço vital, 17th of March, 2015.