Wal-Mart’s executive vice president of benefits recently drafted a memo
to the board of directors proposing ways for the company to save on
health care costs by attracting a “healthier, more productive
workforce.” Among other things, the memo suggested that all jobs at
Wal-Mart be redefined to include some level of physical activity–such
as requiring all cashiers to gather shopping carts–so that unhealthy
people would be dissuaded from coming to work at the retail giant. The
memo also suggests offering benefits–such as education benefits
targeted at students–to attract healthier workers.
Last week,
a group called Wal-Mart Watch, which is part of the Center for
Community and Corporate Ethics, released the memo to the public. Since
then, Wal-Mart has been deflecting charges that the memo exposes a
Wal-Mart policy of discouraging employment of older and disabled
workers. A Wal-Mart spokesperson has denied that the company had any
discriminatory intent or intended to “dissuade unhealthy people to
apply for jobs.”
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