Wal-Mart Challenges Health Spending Law

Wal-Mart Stores Inc. and other retailers challenged Maryland’s new law that requires Wal-Mart to spend more on employee healthcare, arguing in U.S. District Court in Baltimore that only the federal government may dictate health spending by private firms.

Maryland’s law requiring large employers to spend at least 8% of payroll on healthcare or pay the difference in taxes is worded so that only Wal-Mart would be affected. The Retail Industry Leaders Assn. argued that the law unfairly targets the world’s largest retailer. Barring court intervention, the law takes effect in January. Similar legislation has been proposed in California.