Corruption at the top
In 2006,Tom Coughlin, a former vice chairman who worked closely with legendary founder Sam Walton, pleaded guilty to wire fraud and tax evasion. After an internal investigation that found improper use of gift cards and other expenses, Coughlin admitted he stole thousands of dollars from Walmart to upgrade his truck, buy beer and pay for hunting rights.
Walmart stumped union critics when Coughlin said the reimbursement were for money spent out of pocket for a "union project" aimed at keeping unions out of stores.
Gender discrimination
In 2001, a discrimination lawsuit was filed against the retailer, accusing it of favoring men over women in promotions and pay. The initial suit rested largely on one statistic compiled by the plaintiffs' experts: That in 2001, women made up 65% of Wal-Mart's hourly employees but only 33% of its managers.
The case eventually turned into a class-action suit, making it the biggest employment discrimination case in U.S. history. Though the Supreme Court threw out the suit in 2011, the high-profile case nevertheless bruised Walmart's image.
In February, in a move to preserve the right to pursue individual and regional class-action suits against Walmart, 500 current and former female employees filed discrimination claims with the U.S. Equal Employment and Opportunity Commission.
Public imbroglios
In 1996, the retailer stunned the music industry by banning an album by Grammy-winner Sheryl Crow because of a song's lyrics suggesting that Walmart sells guns to children. Despite Crow's feel-good image, the chain raised issue with the song, ""Love Is a Good Thing," costing A&M Records hundreds of thousands of album sales.
Health care problems
After appeasing critics in recent years by offering better health care benefits to its employees, Walmart last year substantially scaled back coverage for part-time workers and raised premiums for many full-time employees.
It couldn't come at a worse time. High unemployment continued weighing on many families, many only able to find part-time work.
Walmart, the nation's largest private employer, cited rising costs when it told employees that all future part-timers who work less than 24 hours a week on average will no longer qualify for any of the company's health insurance plans.
The move represented a marked departure from only a few years ago when Walmart expanded health coverage amid growing criticisms from workers and state governments, including lawmakers in Maryland who in 2005 passed legislation effectively requiring that the company boost health care spending.
