Calling in sick at work is overall considered a normal situation, both for employees and employers alike. After all, even the healthiest person can sometimes fall ill and need enough rest to recover.
However, it can sometimes be tough to call in sick at work, especially in companies with strict attendance policies like Walmart. Unfortunately, Walmart has been criticized over the years for being too tough on employees who take sick leaves.
Nevertheless, despite their more stringent approach towards employees taking sick leaves, there are still ways you can call in sick if you’re an employee at Walmart.
With that said, continue reading to learn more about how to call in sick at Walmart.
How To Call In Sick At Walmart As An Employee
There are typically two ways you can call in sick at Walmart: via a phone call or via their online platform.
Method 1: Call in Sick by Calling Walmart’s Hotline
In general, Walmart employees are required to call in sick at least 3 hours before they are scheduled to report for work for the day.
Therefore, you must call the organization at their hotline, 1-800-775-5944, to inform them of your situation at least 3 hours before your shift at work. Then, once eligible, you can take a leave of absence from work for the day with pay.
However, associates have to comply with some requirements before they call in sick. In this case, you need to prepare your store number, birth date, and Walmart identification number.
After this, once your details are approved, a confirmation number will be given to you. This number will be asked to you by your store manager once the call is referred to him.
Method 2: Call in Sick Through Walmart Online
Aside from calling them through their hotline, you can also call in sick through the Walmart website. To do this, you just need to log in to your Walmart employee account and click “report absence.”
Here, your details such as store number, birth date, and identification number will also be asked, so make sure to type in those important details correctly.
Aside from this, the website will ask you the reason why you can’t report on your shift. You must choose from the 3 options like absent for that day, the next day, or reporting for late absence.
Moreover, you are also required to outline your condition, injury, or symptoms that prevent you from reporting to work.
Calling In Sick After Becoming Infected With The Coronavirus
Walmart has implemented a policy of providing emergency paid leaves for those who contracted the COVID-19 various. In such cases, each employee can have up to two weeks of paid leave when they are diagnosed with the illness or need to be quarantined.
However, if an employee has not recovered yet after two weeks, they can still receive additional pay replacement for up to 26 weeks. This policy is available to both part-time and full-time workers.
Calling In Sick To Participate In Self-isolation Or Mandated Quarantine Due To COVID-19
Even if you don’t contract the virus, you can still call in sick if you want to self-isolate after being in close contact with someone who tested positive for COVID-19.
However, in this case, your leave will be considered as one without pay. If you want a paid sick leave, you can state the reason as other illnesses or injuries. On the other hand, if your healthcare provider was the one who recommended a mandated quarantine, you can avail of a paid leave.
However, take note that you can only avail of paid leaves for the first three days of your quarantine period. After this, it falls under Walmart’s “no work, no pay” policy.
In both instances, you have to file for your leave through the associate line or their website. Aside from this, it’s also important to inform your store manager at least 3 hours before your intended leave.
Calling In Sick Due To Adverse Reactions From A COVID-19 Vaccine
Whether you had an adverse reaction to the COVID-19 vaccine or not, Walmart will allow you to take a leave of absence with pay for 3 days.
However, if you are still feeling unwell after three days, you can call in sick by following the regular procedure. In this case, you can call the Walmart associate hotline or go to the website to file for sick leave.
Calling In Sick Late
Overall, Walmart gives incentives for those associates with 100% attendance, especially on holidays and weekends.
However, once you have unauthorized absences you will be given warning points. In this case, unauthorized absences are absences without giving prior notice or giving late notice.
In this case, even if you call in sick at Walmart, this won’t be considered a paid leave, and it can affect your reputation as an associate in the company if you do it late. Moreover, you will be given 1 warning point for absences from Thursday to Sunday, and 3 warning points for any unauthorized absences during holidays.
In addition, employees with 5 to 9 points won’t be eligible to receive any “attendance” incentives. Aside from this, it may also put your employment status at risk. Therefore, if you are planning to call in sick, always do so at least 3 hours before your shift.
Calling In Sick Outside Of The Line Associate’s Business Hours
Walmart’s line associate’s business hours are from 8 am to 5 pm. So, if your shift begins at 8 am, it’s best to call in sick the day before your shift. This is because the line associate may not entertain calls beyond their business hours.
Moreover, you should always be mindful of the 3 hours advance notice applicable during these hours. Then, once you’re eligible for absence, it’s best to inform your store manager about your situation. After all, store managers can give you warning points if they weren’t informed of your situation beforehand.
Who Is The Appropriate Person To Call To Report An Absence?
If you’re planning to call in sick at work, your store managers are the appropriate persons to inform about your situation. This is because even if you make a call to Walmart’s line associate, you will be directed to the store manager afterward.
In this case, the store manager will ask you about the confirmation number given to you by the line associate. Once the confirmation number is verified by your store manager, it is only then you will be eligible for leave with pay.
The notice to your store manager is also important so they can call someone to cover for your shift. This is to prevent experiencing issues in the store’s operations. So, if it’s short notice, call the store manager or HR right away.
How Many Days Of Sick Leave Does A Walmart Employee Have?
Overall, a Walmart employee is only allowed to have 4 to 5 days of sick leaves within 6 months. So, for one year, each employee is eligible to have 8 to 10 sick leaves.
This is stated in the employee and employer contract. So, everyone should be mindful of this to prevent the risk of being terminated due to absences.
However, employees who have served for 6 months may receive warning points. In fact, regardless of the severity of your situation, warning points is inevitable once you take abrupt sick leaves.
How Are The Warning Points Applied During Sick Leaves?
In general, warning points are given to employees in two instances. First, they’re given warning points when an employee misses their shift completely.
Second, they’re also given warning points when they suddenly want to take a sick leave while their shift has already started.
Of course, you should note that Walmart acknowledges emergencies. Hence, warning points are not given when you have followed all relevant procedures for calling in sick.
However, if you were just recently hired, warning points will be given to you, whether you followed the right procedure or not.
Can An Employee Avail Of Sick Leaves With Pay?
Fortunately, Walmart strictly complies with the law regarding paid sick leaves. In this case, you just need to follow the right procedure for calling in sick to avail of these benefits.
So, whether it’s an illness, illness of a family member, or injury, you have the right to receive your sick leave fees.
However, the policy for paid sick leaves is not imposed in all states of America. In fact, this law varies per region. For example, some states that use this law are California, New York, New Jersey, Washington, Texas, Arizona, Massachusetts, and Pennsylvania.
In these areas, the paid sick leave law is offered to all types of employees, whether they’re part-time, contractual, temporary associates, or regular employees. So, you can receive your paid leaves during the time you have missed work due to illness or injury.
Is Taking Sick Leaves Due To Prolonged Illness Allowed In Walmart?
As a Walmart employee, you can file an intermittent leave if you are suffering from a prolonged illness. Whether it’s for medical treatment, recovery for injury, or ongoing illness, you are allowed to take a leave of absence.
In this case, when filing for intermittent leaves, you have to indicate the reason and your expected time of return. This is to prepare the organization for your absence.
Moreover, you should report your intermittent leave at least 2 days before the intended date of absence so that they can find someone to cover your shift.
Conclusion
Although Walmart adopts a strict attendance policy for their employees, this doesn’t mean that they’re not concerned about them.
After all, their strict policy is designed to secure not just the welfare of their customers, but also to protect fellow employees who will cover the absent employee’s shift.
So, as long as you follow the proper procedures when calling in sick at Walmart, you can avoid getting warning points or being terminated.
