Wal-Mart and Health Care: Condition Critical

A report from the Center for a Changing Workforce on Wal-Mart's insufficient health care policies. From the introduction: "Wal-Mart, the largest corporation and private employer in the U.S. employing over 1.3 million workers, sets a national standard for wages and labor practices.

Since its incorporation in the 1960’s, the company has grown exponentially with now more than 5,000 stores and $285 billion in sales worldwide. But its employment and benefit policies have increasingly come under scrutiny from critics and government officials across the U.S.

A close examination reveals that Wal-Mart’s success has come at a high price—not paid by Wal-Mart stockholders, but by its own employees. And there’s more: employees universally are paying the price of Wal-Mart’s questionable strategies for success because competing companies everywhere are compelled to apply the same practices simply to stay ahead.

In light of criticisms of the company’s health insurance, Wal-Mart has announced a new plan with reduced premiums to assist its least-paid workers. How does the new plan stack up?"

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