Walmart Inc. likely discriminated against 178 female workers by paying them less, denying them promotions or both, because of their gender, the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission said in memos seen by Reuters

Joseph Sellers, a lawyer for the women, said there were at least 1,600 similar complaints pending at the EEOC, accusing Walmart of discriminating against women in pay and promotions between 1999 and 2011. About 150 lawsuits against Walmart, covering the same time period, were pending in federal courts across the country, he said.

Walmart likely discriminated against female workers, U.S. agency says