Walmart 'sexism' case before US Supreme Court

The United States Supreme Court will set to begin the hearing evidence on whether the largest sex discrimination lawsuit in the American history should go ahead.

A group of women are suing the world's largest retailer, Walmart, had been claiming that they had been held back because of their gender.

Walmart had denied the allegations, stating that it had a long history of promoting the women and also paying them.

Christine Kwapnowski, claimed that she had passed over for pay and promotion in favour of male colleagues.

The group had been bringing the lawsuit believed that Walmart systematically had discriminated against the women in stores across America.

The six were making their claim under the 1964 Civil Rights Act, arguing that "the policies and practices underlying this discriminatory treatment are consistent throughout Walmart".

The women, who were seeking lost pay and damages, wanted the US Supreme Court to allow the case to proceed forward a class action lawsuit against Walmart.

A class action will cover any woman who had worked for, or works for, the store.

The claims of discrimination were vehemently denied by Walmart, which had pointed out that they had won awards for their women-friendly working practices.

Walmart had argued that a class action lawsuit will unnecessarily include women who do not have a grievance against the firm.