Hidden Cost of Wal-Mart Jobs: Use of Safety Net Programs by Wal-Mart Workers in California

  • Headshot of Ken Jacobs
Arindrajit DubeandKen Jacobs

Press Coverage

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Wal-Mart flunks its fact-check: The truth behind its sarcastic response to the Times
Salon, June 25, 2014

California bill would fine big firms whose workers get Medi-Cal
Los Angeles Times, May 31, 2013

Who’s Really to Blame for the Wal-Mart Strikes? The American Consumer
The Atlantic, November 22, 2012

Massive anti-Walmart march and rally planned today at Chinatown site
Los Angeles Daily News, June 30, 2012

Why Walmart Loves Welfare
California Progress Report, March 14, 2012

Alan Grayson says more Walmart employees on Medicaid, food stamps than other companies
Tampa Bay Times PolitiFact.com, December 6, 2010

Wal-Mart Counters Critics in Newspaper Advertisements
Bloomberg, January 13, 2005

Wal-Mart May Be The New Model of Productivity, But It Isn’t Always Wowing Workers
New York Times, September 2, 2004

Going global
Economist, August 25, 2005

Global giant
News Hour with Jim Lerner, August 23, 2004

L.A. Council Votes to Restrict Superstores
Los Angeles Times, August 11, 2004

L.A. halts plans for Wal-Marts
Houston Chronicle, August 10, 2004

Wal-Mart: No Bargain?
CBS Evening News Broadcast, August 7, 2004

Corporate freeloaders
Boston Globe, August 6, 2004

Wal-Mart Costs State, Study Says
San Francisco Chronicle, August 3, 2004

Study Cites Social Costs of Wal-Mart
Los Angeles Times, August 3, 2004


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This widely publicized report finds Wal-Mart’s wage and health benefits packages for its California workers to be below average as compared to the overall retail sector in California. The authors also find a greater reliance upon public assistance programs among Wal-Mart workers as compared to other California retail workers. Finally, the authors estimate the additional costs to taxpayers of “Wal-Martization”—the adoption of Wal-Mart’s wage and health benefits standards by retailers throughout California.

View the full report.