27 Comments

I used to work for Walmart and I got written up for passing out at work under the term “Disruptive actions” I wound up in the hospital and when I got out had to sign the report and explain why I had not “got a grip” and passed out with 104`F fever.

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I’ve been on this “Decision Day” form of discipline for almost a years (20 days left on my parole). It hasn’t been easy. They tell you to take care of your family but they can’t guarantee that you’ll have a job when you get back. Yeah, not too much pressure there. Once I got my demerit points knocked off after the 6 month waitin’ period it wasn’t so bad. Though they told me that I couldn’t call in for the entire year which turned out to be false, so my kids sat in the ER without my support. As a bonus, I work in the produce department & got to work with the fruits & vegetables that we serve our customers with multiple stomach virus & the flu. They really don’t care for the associates, rather their sales & bonuses. It’s not a family company anymore. It’s more like a Chinese prison labor camp but without the 1 meal a day & free haircuts. But I can’t argue too much (because I fear retaliation, & they will retaliate) because it is workin’ for the Chinese.

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sam Reply:
January 4th, 2010 at 11:00 am

@Rev. James T. Hicks, D.D.,

4 days in 6 months… You’ll be hard pressed to find ANY entry level job, be it retail or factory, that will allow you to call off w/o consequence 8 times in 1 year. Also, if you call off 2 or 3 days in a row, for the same reason (aka stomach virus 3 straight scheduled days)it only counts as 1(one) “demerit”, or occurrence. To clairify… thats ONE demerit for the same call off up to 3 days. So if say, you child gets sick, and for 3 straight scheduled days you have to call off, it only counts as ONE. I’m horrible at math but that’s technically 12 missed days without any disciplinary action in a SIX(6) month period.

I, as well as others, have been in the position with a kid in the emergency room and unable to call off(god bless moms). However, I did it to myself by calling off for dumb reasons prior to then. It’s easy to target wal mart in our “point fingers” society. Why can’t we as a whole take responsibility for our actions and decisions? quit whining and don’t call off.

Just because wal mart is huge and with that many employees there’s bound to be issues, doesn’t mean everyone should target them just to try to make themselves feel like they’re doing a “great service”.

Quit the hate. Despite Wal marts size, its still a business just like any other. Their call off policy is more “giving and caring” then the vast majority of all companies out there. Do more research and take responsibility for your posts/work habits. There are so many other things in wal mart that are legitimate concerns but factless and “boo-hoo” posts like this make the REAL issues easier to dismiss.

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hater Reply:
October 2nd, 2011 at 6:17 pm

@sam, f you

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I hope my situation will be an inspiration. I was divorced with 2 kids at the age of 31. 18 years ago. In order to make sure I spent as much time as possible with my kids I devoted my time to figuring out a way to be slef employed. Here’s my stats:
-Divorced at 31 with 2 kids (3 and 6)
-Have never had a salary
-w/in 19 months of divorce, buy another house
-started y own company 3 weeks after house purchase
-Daughter graduated from college 2 years ago
-Son attending college now

I look back and feel so blessed that the three of us made such a happy litle family. After 18 years of being a single Dad, and the kids on their way in the world, I can now devote more time to me.

I think the thing that helped me the most was as a male, I realized there is no help out there, so I had to be 100% responsible for making good things happen. The pride I have in raising my kids without government assistance, is awesome!

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upset disabled employee Reply:
April 4th, 2012 at 5:14 am

dear walmart, hi i am disabled and sometimes have to take of time. a day hear and there. my legs dont want to work, not to mention i have tia, iscemic strokes. there fore i must take off a day to recoupe. I was told to fill out a intermentent loa for, and now my asst manager notifys me that it only applys to a doctors visit. What if yu need to stay home for a day or two. Are you going to fire the disable person. I bet mister walton would have been rolling over in his grave. Family first. Please tell someone in management that statement. seriously 3 occurance in one yr. you have got to vbe kidding. the manager force us to sign it and if we didnt we would be fired. what a croke of …….. hr you better be listing.

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As a state JOBS worker with the Department of Human Services, I would like to say that people who want to work instead of being on welfare, the ones who try very hard to make it without the help of the tax payers and state welfare roles, are not given enough money for their work, nor enough hours to work to support themselves and their families by working for Walmart, or the benefit of health insurance because Walmart only hire’s part-time to keep from having to provide health insurance. This is one of the reasons America has a failing economy. Consider yourselves at fault for your share in this very unfair practice, in which you use to pad your own pockets, which are already full from mistreating your employee’s. SHAME ON YOU. For this I give you a demerit badge for not supporting America and for not sharing in helping to make this the country as great as it should be. I am ashamed to call you an American company, and I WILL NOT buy one single item from Walmarts as long as I live.

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Rev. James T. Hicks, D.D. Reply:
December 27th, 2009 at 9:54 am

@Michael Giounotti,

More like give her a demerit badge for her lack of support for the Chinese. It isn’t the ol’ “Made in America” Wal*Mart that Sam Walton made. The inheritors of Sam’s legacy sold us out to the lowest bitter, China. Cost our country thousands of jobs just to save a buck & buy that yacht, 5 cars, oversize house, & other junk that could have produced more jobs.

But that’s just me. I know, profits used for the betterment of the company is out of style. I would gladly stop receivin’ those pointless bonuses if “I knew” it meant they would hire people & have better health coverage, but “I know” it would just be more linin’ for their wallets & purses.

>_< Cheers.

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Obviously this person had attendance issues in the past or other problems to be fired that way..Half of my family works for Walmart and we have had a totally different experience.My Father has worked for them for almost 15 years and when he developed throat cancer they bent over backwards to help him fill out his FMLA papers and what ever else he needed to keep his position. Hell, they even put together fund raisers to help him and my stepmother out with bills and such while he was off work.
This past year my Fiance’ had to be hospitalised for a week and the same thing was done for him…They bent over backwards to help him make sure he kept his job.SO you see, maybe we are only gettting half of the story…it’s always easier to blame the big bad corporation!!

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I understand the the greif over being fired for calling in sick but as a manager I also understand why these policy and proceedures are put into place. There is no way that this company or any company could stay afloat if they had to pay every one of their employees 5 days of sick leave every six months, and then pay someone time and a half or regular time to cover the person(s)that’s out sick, we must be realistic and responsible for our general health. No we cannot at times keep from getting sick but there are many things we can do to prevent the spread of germs, and viruses that make us sick on the job and at home. I am sorry for your loss but there has to be rules and regulations in a buisness and sometimes the good go out with the bad, I sincerely hope you find employment elsewhere, but this time read the employee policy manual before taking the job and you’ll know what your are getting into.

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Dear momsrising,

I have been receiving your emails for almost a year. I find them to be very
informative and equal. Equal, meaning that you speak to me and not through
me or at me. My prayers are with everyone. Our society has grown out of
control and forgotten the most important aspect of life. Family. We have
conditioned ourselves not to care about each other because we don’t want to be
misconstrued as imposing and intrusive. This is demonstrated in the
behavior of those in executive management, the shareholders, and our
politicians. All of whom have a tendency to regard a human being as a mere cog on a
ladder going upward to a self absorbed state of being the ‘the most
compliant’ or the most ‘unique’, but alone just the same. We need to remember we are
a democratic society whose strength is determined by the health of its
human beings who comprise it. Physical, spiritual, emotional, and mental. The
ownership lies in each of us to see one another with honor and esteem, i.e.,
respect. I do not point a finger at THE decision makers because I think we
are ALL decision makers.

Walmart is not the only member of corporate America that penalizes their
employees for being human. I, recently, was forced to resign from my employer
as a result of on going infractions (demerits) because I couldn’t arrive to
work at exactly 8:30 am, but instead, 8:37 am in order to get my child
safely on a school bus. I was under a cloud of constant job jeopardy from Jan’09
until Oct’09 when I had to resign to prevent being fired. The company put in
writing that if I was late one more time, I was terminated. There is a
paper trail of my pleas for a slight shift change, a part time status, or a
transfer to a department that was more working parent friendly. All were denied
as it was not convenient to the company. I was told I had “to make a
personal decision”.

I am sharing this with you because my former employer is a member of
corporate America. The absence of a labor union is evident in the behavior and
decision making of Walmart, my former employer, and other corporations void of
employee unification. I do not crusade or promote labor unions. I am simply
stating that the principle which supports labor unions should not be absent
from any work place where a labor union does not reside. In other words,
just because the employees do not have the organized defense and assistance
they need, does not absolve the employer from behaving like a tyrant. Despite
the recession in our economy, corporate America remains the victor on several
levels of our society.

As a result of my resignation, I had to let go of health insurance. I,
certainly, cannot afford COBRA. I had to give up contributions to a 401K plan
that was just starting to grow, and in fact, had to liquidate it in order to
pay bills. I have had to appeal to other “powers that be” since my
resignation, and I won’t have an answer from them until later this week.

Your emails are very important because they are very helpful. I do not have
an opportunity to read all of them, but knowing that you are proactive
about the changes needed in our society helps me deal with life a little easier.
I am grateful to you. I feel your strength with me when I am out ‘there’
giving it my personal best trying to survive.

Peace,
Elizabeth C. Ferraro (Lisa)

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Anita Reply:
December 19th, 2009 at 1:50 am

Elizabeth, thank you for sharing your story here, and all the best to you as you move forward.

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So I’m wondering…what is the call-off policy where YOU work? Can you just miss any amount of days you want with no consequences or repercussions? Wal-mart’s attendance policy is VERY liberal! 3 consecutive absences equals one “Absence occurrence”. You are allowed 3 of these in a 6 month period before you are even TALKED to about your attendance. The next occurrence leads to a verbal coaching, the fifth occurance leads to a written coaching, the SIXTH occurance (By now we are potentially up to 18 absences in a 6 month period) leads to a Decision day, and the SEVENTH occurence (potentially up to 21 absences in 6 months) CAN lead to termination! If your health is so poor that you need to miss that much work, than you get a leave of absence (thereby ensuring that your absences do not count against you), or if your health condition is recurring and sporadic, you get an intermittent leave, so you can call off whenever you need to without fear of losing your job. Wal-mart’s attendance policy is fair and reasonable, to say the least. Someone who calls off every time they have a slight headache or a scratchy throat probably wouldn’t agree…but the majority of America’s responsible work force knows that the average person doesn’t call of every time they’re under the weather, and doesn’t get sick ebough to call off work on 7 seperate occasions in under 6 months. Next time you want to bash a company, either post some other company’s policies as well, to show a comparrison or contrast, or pick a company that doesn’t provide as many jobs and economic stimulus as Wal-mart does. Good Lord, people…find a new scapegoat.

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Greg Reply:
January 11th, 2010 at 12:08 pm

@John, no. its not. its not fair at all. i work for walmart as an hourly supervisor. the attendance tracking system they use can be edited by any salaried level of management. not everyone plays by the rules. favoritism and politics play a large roll in discipline here.

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Anonymous Reply:
December 25th, 2011 at 9:03 am

I am a walmart employee. , and just the other daythey come up with a new rule it is up to your manager if they want too count the three days as one or all seprate. When i was told by my oersonal manager that was the policy the three days as 1.now they sre changing the rulls withoit changinh handbool, just bunch lies by the managers to get uou to come to wotk sick

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Katlyn Reply:
December 25th, 2011 at 9:05 am

I am a walmart employee. , and just the other daythey come up with a new rule it is up to your manager if they want too count the three days as one or all seprate. When i was told by my oersonal manager that was the policy the three days as 1.now they sre changing the rulls withoit changinh handbool, just bunch lies by the managers to get uou to come to wotk sick

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Jess Reply:
January 15th, 2012 at 6:09 pm

@John, Hate to break it to you bud, but the policy is unfair. If a person is sick and has a doctors written medical release the company will abide by the release, but still demerit the person. There’s more facts about the policy than just the number of days missed. Illness is not considered an excusable absence regardless of medical documentation. Management chooses whether they want to abide by fmloa forms of any kind.
Of the corporate companies I have worked for Wal-Mart is in fact the only company I’ve worked for that doesn’t accept medical releases. It’s not so much a matter of making Wal-Mart the scapegoat. It’s a matter of Wal-Mart needing severe policy reform.
There are so many areas of the company that can use imporvement. Putting time limits on associates duties, not accomodating the needs of their employees (yes with as vast of a management team as they have it is possible), and emposing a “you’re replaceable” policy on associates.
I’m assuming that you are either working on becoming a member of management or are just by the way you posted. I am glad I no longer work for the company and did not make a career out of it. These policies in corporations like Wal-Mart are a big part of what’s bringing our economy down. Human resources needs to be moved from the back burner and put up front again.
When a company hires someone they are usually aware of anything like being a parent (single or not), diability, and other important personal issues that may have an affect on their job attendance and performance. If they cannot provide reasonable accomodation it’s simple don’t hire them. That’s not discrimination, it a matter of being able to provide a safe and healthy work environment for employees. Also the ADA states that if an accomodation is not reasonable the employer has a right to refuse accomodation or employment.

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Erica Reply:
February 3rd, 2012 at 5:02 pm

@Jess,

I work for a tri-institutional organization that is extremely strict with call-outs. Here too, if you need to take more than 3 days off (say for the flu), they push you to apply for FMLA, because you will get written up… doctor’s note or not. It is not just Walmart. Walmart is just big enough for people to notice and complain about. My husband works for Walmart, and so far they have been very good about letting him leave in a rush because our son is sick, or I am stuck at work and cannot pick him up.
Walmart employs an insane amount of people. If this company goes, the economy is toast… even moreso

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Sarai Reply:
April 7th, 2012 at 1:40 pm

@John,
You are absolutely right, it is very fair! I worked for a company that would only allow you to miss three days (this isn’t three consecutive days equals one day, no this is THREE days) you got fired. My husband works as a phlebotomist and if he misses work, a life that could have been saved that day is lost. Most careers have a much stricter policy than Wal-mart when it comes to attendance. Quite honestly, if I am even coughing a little my manager asks me if I am okay and why I came to work if I’m sick. I guess it’s different at other Wal-marts, but as for mine, I could not have asked for a better place to work.

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This is very common in the retail world. It’s on par with the “black out” dates that they put into place not allowing anyone to take vacation days between the day before Thanksgiving and the day after Christmas.

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While this is bad I feel its nothing compared to the fact that some hospitals have the same policy for their nurses. My mother as an hourly nurse was subjected to a similar policy when working certain shifts. 3 “occurrences” and she could be subject to disciplinary actions.

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