How Many Hours Does Walmart Give Employees

When you start working at Walmart, you may be concerned with how many hours you’ll get and what your schedule might look like.

At Walmart, the number of hours employees get can vary depending on their work status. There’s a significant difference between full-time and part-time employees regarding the number of hours that Walmart offers.

For example, full-time Walmart employees generally work around 34-40 hours a week. Meanwhile, part-time employees must stay below an average of 32 hours weekly to maintain their status.

Full-Time vs. Part-Time Workers

At Walmart, both full-time and part-time positions are available for associates. You’ll retain your full-time status as long as your average weekly hours remain above the full-time threshold, which is 40 hours in most cases.

Keep in mind that specific shift lengths can vary, with some part-time employees being offered shifts between 10 and 12 hours. However, as long as the average is below 32 hours or below, it’s still considered part-time.

Walmart’s Scheduling Policy

Navigating the scheduling policy at Walmart can be easy if you know what to expect when it comes to your work hours. In this section, we’ll discuss the hours and scheduling, typical shifts, and the flexibility that the retail giant offers its employees.

Hours and Scheduling

Walmart has implemented a new scheduling system that aims to provide more consistency and flexibility to its employees. A “core hours” method is used, where employees with a core-hour schedule will work the same weekly shifts for a set period. That can be as much as 13 weeks in some cases.

This allows them to plan their life around work more efficiently.

For associates without fixed schedules, they receive their schedules well in advance, often a couple of weeks’ worth. Doing so helps them manage their commitments more effectively and to have a better grip on settling into their work hours.

This system is designed to ensure that each store has enough employee coverage during peak shopping hours.

Typical Shifts

The start and end times of shifts may vary depending on the needs of each store. A typical day shift at Walmart could begin at 6:00 am and end at 3:00 pm, but this can differ across stores and roles.

Day shift workers at Walmart are responsible for tasks such as merchandising, customer interaction, and sales floor telxon work. They may also be responsible for unloading trucks and store merchandise.

Night shift is a bit of a different story and is usually more labor-intensive.

The night shift at Walmart typically starts at 10:00pm or 11:00pm and ends at 7:00am. Night shift workers at Walmart are responsible for tasks such as stocking shelves, unloading trucks, and cleaning the store.

Sometimes there’s also a pay differential, which is around 10% minimum in most establishments.

Flexibility and Work-Life Balance

Walmart’s new scheduling approach aims to offer an improved work-life balance for its employees. With the “core hours” system, qualified associates can set fixed schedules with the same hours and days for up to six months, allowing for better planning and time management.

While there used to be a 24-hour restriction on schedule changes, management currently has more flexibility to change schedules when necessary, particularly in response to unforeseen circumstances like the COVID-19 pandemic.

Do You Get To Choose Your Hours At Walmart

Unfortunately, Walmart does not typically allow employees to choose their own hours. They determine your work schedule, which can vary from Monday to Sunday and may not even be 8 hours long. Your designated starting and ending times will depend on the company’s needs and might include working late evenings or during weekends.

However, there are ways you can potentially get more shifts at Walmart:

• Communicate with your manager: Expressing your interest in getting more hours to your manager is essential. They can help you pick up extra shifts when they become available.
• Be available and flexible: If you are open for more hours, inform your supervisor. This will increase your chances of getting longer shifts or covering for other employees when they cannot work.

How Much Overtime Does Walmart Give

In some cases, Walmart does indeed give overtime pay, but I’d caution you to not expect it. If you run into an overtime situation, it’s more likely to be during the busy holiday season or when special promotions occur.

If there is a shortage of workers, then overtime can be seen there. According to some Walmart associates, overtime is mandatory for some positions. This means it’s possible to go past the 40 hours per week.

Depending on how strict your Walmart store is, some may cut hours in other places so you don’t work overtime. Imagine working later one night but not really getting the benefit for it other than getting to go home early the next day.