What Is Walmart’s Late Policy? (A Comprehensive Guide)

As Walmart continues to expand its presence around the world, it is important to have a system in place to ensure that Walmart employees are on time for their shifts. For this reason, Walmart has a special late policy in place that outlines how Walmart will handle tardiness or absenteeism from its workforce. But what exactly Walmart’s late policy is? In this comprehensive guide, we’ll explore the details of Walmart’s late policy and answer any questions you may have about its structure.
What Is Walmart’s Late Policy?
Walmart uses a points system to track and manage employee absences. Depending on the amount of time an employee is late, they will receive a certain number of points. Once they reach 5 points, Walmart has the right to discipline or terminate them.
What Is Walmart’s Point System?
Walmart’s point system is designed to give employees a fair warning and encourage punctuality. According to this system, you will receive a certain number of points every time you are late or absent from work. The number of points you get will depend on the severity and duration of the tardiness.
That said, if you are late by less than 15 minutes, you might not get any points at all. Since it’s not that long, you may get away with a warning from your manager.
On the other hand, if you are late by more than 15 minutes but less than two hours, you can receive 0.5 points. An early leave will result in the same 0.5 points added to your total score.
Missing an entire shift will gain you 1 point; if you are absent during a holiday, the tardiness can result in up to 3 points. Since the workload during the holiday season is usually greater, Walmart uses stricter measures to prevent any potential disruption in its services.
Ultimately, deciding how many points to assign depends on your manager and the situation’s circumstances.
Are Authorized Absences Counted in Walmart’s Points System?
Walmart does not include authorized absences in its points system. Walmart understands its employees’ needs and will consider any legitimate reasons for an absence.
Therefore, if you need to take a day off to attend a funeral, doctor’s appointment, or any other legitimate issue, Walmart will not count it against you. The following reasons are considered authorized absences:
- Jury Duty,
- Medical or Family Leave,
- Maternity/Paternity Leave,
- Bereavement.
Just make sure to inform Walmart in advance about your absence and provide them with any required documentation.
How Do You Reset Points at Walmart?
As a Walmart employee, you have no access to your Walmart points system. Therefore, you don’t have any control over the number of points assigned to you or have any way of resetting them by yourself.
However, it doesn’t mean your points will stick with you forever. Walmart has a built-in system that resets employees’ points every six months. So, as long as you remain “under the radar” and don’t accumulate more than 5 points, Walmart will automatically reset your score every six months.
How Do You Report Lateness/Absence at Walmart?
If you know you’re going to be late or absent, Walmart asks that you notify them as soon as possible.
That said, Walmart has a designated One Walmart portal where you can register your lateness or absence. You’ll have access to the portal when you sign up as a Walmart employee. Then, just fill out the form with the necessary details online, and you’ll be good to go.
Alternatively, you can call your store or manager directly to inform them about your late arrival or absence. That way, they will know what to expect and make the necessary arrangements if you aren’t able to make it on time.
Plus, you can check out our other guide on how to call in sick at Walmart if that’s the reason for your absence.
How Many Absences Are Allowed at Walmart?
Walmart considers any employee with more than 5 points as an “excessive absentee. That said, Walmart assigns you 1 point for every missed shift. That means you can take up to 5 absences within six months without any disciplinary action. However, if you exceed this limit, you can expect Walmart to terminate your employment.
Is Walmart’s Point System Strict?
Walmart’s point system is quite strict. For example, Walmart can terminate your employment if you accumulate more than 5 points for being absent or late within six months.
However, it used to be more lenient in the past. Before the update in 2019, Walmart allowed up to 9 points for lateness and absences. After the update, Walmart reduced the limit to 5 points.
Is Good Attendance Rewarded at Walmart?
Despite Walmart’s strict point system, Walmart rewards its dedicated employees for good attendance. The rewards come in the form of a cash bonus at the end of every quarter.
Employees with perfect attendance are eligible for an extra 25% of their regular cash bonus. Those with one or two points on their score are also eligible for this incentive.
This measure was introduced to balance Walmart’s strict point system and to reward employees for their dedication.
How Do You Clock in at Walmart?
Walmart uses a specialized tool called the GTA Time Clock system to keep track of employees’ attendance. By using their OneWalmart credentials, Walmart employees can clock in and out of their shifts directly from the system. This service is available at One.walmart.com. For more instructions, please visit this help page.
Conclusion
Walmart’s late policy involves a point system that assigns employees a certain number of points for every late arrival or absence. That said, you can expect 0.5 or 1 point added to your score depending on how late you are. You will be rewarded with a cash bonus if you gain very few or no late points. However, you might get terminated if you exceed the limit of 5 points per 6 months. So, it’s always best to track your points and adhere to Walmart’s late policy for additional bonuses. Good luck!