On May 31, 2003, a "tentative agreement" was reached between Wal-Mart and hundreds of pharmacists suing the discount retailer for nearly $45 million in damages. (I believe it is still "pending"). A judge had already ruled in favor of the plaintiffs, in a 1999 summary judgment, that Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. had violated labor laws by not paying its pharmacists overtime and shorting their paychecks for two years. The agreement overrides a trial that was set to decide the dollar amount of damages for the underpaid pharmacists. The case was filed in 1995 on behalf of four Colorado pharmacists and grew to 596, who alleged they had routinely worked "off the clock" for Wal-Mart doing paperwork and other chores. Typically, their work lasted 60 hours, not the 40 hours indicated on Wal-Mart's records, according to the complaint. They allege Wal-Mart's failure to pay them overtime compensation--by improperly classifying them as salaried workers--was willful and that the retailer intentionally shortchanged its employees.