Wal-Mart announces plan to equalize pay

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. (AP) -- Wal-Mart Stores Inc. will cut the bonuses for top executives if the company does not meet its diversity goals as part of an initiative to treat workers better, its top executive announced Friday.
Chief executive Lee Scott said the company also is using its computer systems to help ensure that cashiers, other hourly workers and managers take their required breaks.
Scott said bonuses, including his own, would be cut up to 7.5 percent this year and 15 percent next year if the company does not promote women and minorities in proportion to the number that apply for management positions.
"If 50 percent of the people applying for the job of store manager are women, we will work to make sure that 50 percent of the people receiving those jobs are women," Scott said.
He said that in 2003 that the company exceeded that goal and that the financial penalty for executives shows Wal-Mart is serious.
Wal-Mart, the world's largest retailer, is being sued for allegedly not paying employees for overtime and for alleged gender bias.
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