HER.
HE JOINS US LIVE.
MIKE: MAUREEN MCPADDEN AND HER
LAWYERS SAY THIS CASE IS
IMPORTANT BECAUSE IT SHOWS THE
ISSUES OF GENDER DISCRIMINATION
AND PUBLIC SAFETY WERE TAKEN
SERIOUSLY.
BUT WALMART DENIES ANY
WRONGDOING SAYING THE VERDICT
ISN'T SUPPORTED BY FACT OR LAW.
>> I TOLD THE FACTS.
MIKE: 51-YEAR-OLD MAUREEN
MCPADDEN TOLD A FEDERAL JURY HER
STORY AND JURORS AGREED WITH HER
VERSION.
WEDNESDAY THEY ORDERED
MCPADDEN'S FORMER EMPLOYER
WALMART TO AWARD HER MORE THAN
$31 MILLION.
>> I'M JUST COMING DOWN FROM A
3.5 YEAR ROLLER COASTER RIDE OF
EMOTION ACTUALLY SO I'M JUST SO
HAPP
MIKE: IN 2012 MCPADDEN WAS
WORKING AT THE PHARMACY INSIDE
THIS WALMART IN SEABROOK.
SHE SAYS SHE TOLD MANAGEMENT
ABOUT SAFETY CONCERNS SHE HAD AS
DESCRIBED BY ONE OF HER
ATTORNEYS.
>> STAFFING CONDITIONS BECAME
DEPLORABLE.
THEY WERE INEXPERIENCED,
UNTRAINED, AND INSUFFICIENT
SUPPORT STAFF WHICH CREATED A
PUBLIC SAFETY CONCERN.
REPORTER: A MONTH LATER SHE LOST
HER PHARMACY KEY AND SAYS
WALMART USED THAT AS AN EXCUSE
TO FIRE HE
MCPADDEN ALSO ACCUSES THE
COMPANY OF DISCRIMINATING
AGAINST HER BECAUSE SHE'S A
WOMAN.
HER LAWYERS SAY MALE PHARMACIS
WERE BETTER TREATED.
>> THE JURY CLEARLY DETERMINED
THAT WALMART HAD EITHER
WILLFULLY OR RECKLESSLY
DISREGARDED BOTH FEDERAL AND
STATE ANTI-DISCRIMINATION LAWS
MIKE: WALMART SAYS WE DO NOT
TOLERATE DISCRIMINATION OF ANY
TYPE AND NEITHER THAT NOR ANY
CONCERNS MS. MCPADDEN RAISED
ABOUT HER STORE'S PHARMACY
PLAYED A ROLE IN HER DISMISSAL.
IT SAYS SHE HAD BEEN DISCIPLINED
BEFORE AND LOSING HER KEY WAS
THE FINAL OFFENSE.
MCPADDEN IS READY TO MOVE ON
, PLEASED WITH THE JURY'S
DECISION.
>> THEY CAME BACK WITH A VERDICT
THAT REALLY MEANS AN AWFUL LOT
TO ME AND I BELIEVE IT'S GOING
TO HELP OTHERS IN THE FUTURE.
I REALLY DO.
MIKE: WALMART SAYS IT WILL
APPEAL, ASKING THE JUDGE TO
THROW OUT THE VERDICT OR REDUCE
THE REWARD MONEY.
MCPADDEN LIVES ON THE SEACOAST
AND STILL WORKS AS A PHARMACIST
