Walmart Firing Policy – What You Can Expect

As one of the largest retail chains worldwide, Walmart employs many people in various roles. Naturally, with such a vast workforce, the company has specific policies in place regarding employee conduct and termination.

Walmarts firing policy is pretty straightforward:

At the core of Walmart’s termination policy is a point-based system, which helps to ensure fairness and consistency in their disciplinary actions. Employees can earn points for other misconducts, and reaching a certain threshold can lead to termination.

I did some research and put together lots of helpful information that will teach you all about the specifics of Walmart’s firing and termination policy. This includes the various offenses that can result in points and the potential consequences of accumulating points.

Walmart Firing Policy Overview

As I mentioned earlier, the termination policy at Walmart mainly revolves around the employee point system. The more you miss work, are late, or blatantly disregard the shifts you’re scheduled for, the more likely you’ll be let go.

The employee point system allows Walmart staff to accrue five points for various discretions before termination is considered. And, if you’re a frequent offender of the policy, its easy to stack up those points quickly.

If you are a new employee, they may terminate you with fewer points. However, you can only be dismissed for acquiring four or more points after six months of employment.

Attendance is critical in the point system, and Walmart enforces a strict policy to ensure smooth store operations. For instance, being more than 30 minutes late to work is considered a severe offense. The late policy helps to guarantee that employees arrive on time for their shifts and that the store can start its day efficiently.

In addition to this, Walmart and its employees are free to terminate their working relationship for any reason at any time. The employment is an at-will basis.

Walmart’s Point System and Absences

Walmart’s attendance policy includes the Walmart point system, designed to reduce procrastination and unexpected absences. It was implemented back in 2019 and assigned points to employees for various discretions like arriving late or calling in sick.

You’ll start each shift with 0 points, and depending on your actions, you can accrue points during your employment.

Here’s a breakdown of how points are accrued:

• Arriving late to your shift: 1 point
• Calling in sick without using paid time off (PTO): 1 point

Even though it stinks to accumulate points, they do fall off over time. However, it takes months to earn back any points you’ve earned to your name. Some emplooyees have shared that certain actions are worth more points in some cases. For example, if you simply don’t show up, and also give no notice of your absence, that could be worth as many as four points right out the gate!

Absence and Tardiness Consequences

Under Walmart’s firing and termination policy, you can be dismissed once you have gained four or five employee points; this depends on how long you’ve been with the company. The consequences depend on the number of points you accumulate.

Here are the key thresholds for point accumulation:

• New employees with less than six months of tenure: Termination at 4 points
• Employees with more than six months of tenure: Termination at 5 points

Remember that Walmart offers a paid time-off system to help manage planned absences like vacations or scheduled medical appointments. You can use your PTO for planned and unplanned absences, which should help you avoid accruing points for calling in sick.

If you’ve been to a heavily understaffed Walmart, chances are the terminations are not as strict. Some employees may have dozens of points under to their credit, but because of staffing may be kept on regardless.

Common Reasons for Termination

The points system isn’t the only way you can face termination from a retail store like Walmart. Behavioral issues, poor customer service, and even theft could get you into big trouble.

Performance and Efficiency Issues

Employees who consistently demonstrate a lack of efficiency or dedication to their job may face termination. Walmart expects its employees to be productive and contribute positively to the business operations.

Factors like frequently missing deadlines, inconsistent work quality, and being unable or unwilling to improve one’s job performance can result in negative consequences, including being let go.

Customer Service Concerns

As a Walmart employee, providing excellent customer service is one of the key aspects of your job. Failure to meet customer service standards may result in termination.

Examples of customer service issues could include recurrent customer complaints, being rude or uncooperative with customers, and neglecting to resolve customer issues promptly.

It’s kind of funny because anytime I’ve been in Walmart, I seem to get a mix of good and bad attitudes from associates. But remember, each store is managed on its own, and what some teams will tolerate in today’s work environment differs.

Theft and Fraud Incidents

Walmart takes theft and fraud incidents seriously. Employees caught committing or participating in such acts will likely face immediate termination. This may involve stealing merchandise, falsifying records, or engaging in fraudulent activities such as identity theft or unauthorized use of company resources.

But again this is standard in most workplaces, not just Walmart.

Workplace Harassment and Discrimination

Walmart has a strict policy against harassment and discrimination based on race, religion, gender, pregnancy, disability, or other protected characteristics. Employees engaging in harassment or discriminatory behaviors, whether directed towards fellow employees or customers, can face termination.

Such conduct may include making offensive comments, exhibiting aggressive behavior, or treating others unequally or unfairly based on their protected characteristics.

Rights of Employees During Termination

When facing termination at Walmart, it’s essential to understand your rights as an employee.

Exit Interview Process

At Walmart, you may be entitled to an exit interview before your termination is finalized. This is an opportunity for you to discuss with your supervisor or human resources representative the reasons for your termination and any potential next steps.

It is important to take this opportunity to ask questions, clarify misunderstandings, and provide any relevant information that may impact the decision to terminate your employment.

Legal Protections against Retaliation

As a Walmart employee, you are protected from retaliation if you have reported any illegal or unethical behavior within the company. They are obligated not to retaliate against you or treat you unfairly for exercising your rights.

Discrimination

Employees at Walmart are also protected from discrimination during termination based on age, race, gender, disability, etc., under various employment laws. For instance, the Age Discrimination Employment Act protects employees over 40 from being treated unfairly.

Rehiring Policy and Considerations

While it may seem that getting fired from Walmart would be the end of things, thats not necessarily true. Walmart’s rehire policy allows former employees to reapply for a job if terminated, and its a fairly common occurence (unless the violations created grounds for not being considered for future hires).

As of November 2018, the waiting period to reapply is 60 days from the termination date. This policy applies to both Walmart and Sam’s Club. Prior to the policy update, the waiting period was six months.

Eligibility for Reapplying after Termination

The main factor for determining eligibility for reapplying is the specific reason for the termination. Former employees who accumulated five or more points due to the point system in place at the company are typically allowed to reapply 90 days after their termination date.

To increase your chances of being rehired, it’s important to demonstrate good conduct and work ethic. Also, follow the proper reapplication process and consider applying to other Walmart locations if you decide to reapply.

Dealing with Compliance Issues

As an employee at Walmart, it’s important to understand how to address potential concerns related to the company’s firing and termination policy. This section guides filing a complaint and seeking legal support or advice.

Filing a Complaint regarding Termination Policy Violations

If you believe that Walmart has violated its termination policy, you can take the following steps:

1. Report the issue to your immediate supervisor or a higher-level manager. They can help you resolve the problem directly.
2. File a complaint with Walmart’s Ethics & Compliance department. You can learn about their policies and procedures here.
3. Contact your state’s labor board or a similar agency to report any potential violations of labor laws.

Remember to document your actions and keep records of any correspondence, as this will be helpful if you need to escalate the matter.