Arkansas Attorney General Tim Griffin announced on May 1 a settlement with Walmart totaling $847,847.30 in civil penalties following claims of deceptive trade practices related to the company’s Spark Driver program.
The announcement follows legal action brought by the Federal Trade Commission and 11 other states against Walmart over alleged unfair and deceptive practices affecting drivers. Although Arkansas was not part of the original lawsuit, Griffin said that the state has now reached a separate agreement mirroring the terms of the FTC’s consent judgment.
“This is a victory for consumers and working Arkansans, and I am pleased to see this issue resolved,” Griffin said in his statement.
According to details provided by Griffin’s office, allegations included misrepresentation of compensation and tip amounts before jobs were accepted, reducing pay after delivery completion, misrepresenting how orders or tips were handled, telling consumers that all tips went directly to drivers when they did not, and failing to pay promised driver-incentive bonuses. Monetary relief for affected Arkansas drivers was previously provided through the FTC’s consent judgment; Arkansas’s new settlement ensures additional accountability within the state.
The Arkansas Attorney General’s office engages in initiatives addressing public integrity and community relations across the state according to its official website. The office also offers consumer protection services, handles both civil and criminal matters, supports public safety initiatives according to its official website, serves all residents of Arkansas with legal and protective services according to its official website, provides resources for fraud reporting as well as community education programs according to its official website, and operates in both legal and public safety sectors at a state level according to its official website.
Tim Griffin has served as Attorney General of Arkansas according to its official website. In his background information released alongside this announcement, it was noted that he has held several positions including Lieutenant Governor of Arkansas from 2015-2023 as well as serving on various committees during his tenure representing Arkansas’s Second Congressional District.
