Walmart alters time-off policy for its workers - Arkansas Online

Starting today, Walmart Inc.'s hourly workers will be able to use banked paid time off for unexpected absences without incurring a penalty.

The Bentonville retailer said in a news release Friday that the new policy, called Protected PTO, was based on feedback from employees who wanted more flexibility to deal with unforeseen events.

Previously, the company said, any unscheduled absence from work, even though covered by paid time off, would in most cases result in a mark on the employee's attendance record. After nine such absences, the worker would be fired.

Under the new policy, covered absences won't affect an employee's attendance record. Workers can bank up to 48 hours of paid time off -- the equivalent of six full-time shifts -- in a year, and any unused time will roll over to the next year. No previous approval is required to take the accumulated time off.

Walmart has 1.1 million hourly workers nationwide. All will start off with a clean attendance slate beginning today.

Some states and cities across the country have enacted laws requiring companies to offer paid sick leave, so Walmart workers in those areas already have that benefit. The new policy will ensure that employees companywide are covered.

However, laws vary somewhat, and a few jurisdictions don't allow a cap such as Walmart's 48 hours. In those areas, Walmart spokesman Justin Rushing said, the company must comply with local law.

According to the National Conference of State Legislatures, 10 states require employers to provide paid sick time: Arizona, California, Connecticut, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont and Washington. Washington, D.C., also requires the benefit.

Along with the new time-off policy, Walmart will begin rewarding hourly workers who have perfect attendance records. They'll receive an additional 25 percent on the quarterly cash bonuses that are awarded based on the performance of their stores.

Drew Holler, vice president of associate experience for Walmart's U.S. division, said in the release that more than 300,000 hourly workers have "spotless" attendance records. Those employees will get their bonuses in May, Rushing said.

The goal of the new paid time off and reward for attendance policies is "delivering a more consistent experience for customers and rewarding [Walmart's] most dependable associates," Walmart's release said. "These changes are based directly on feedback from associates who wanted more flexibility when life happens, while also being rewarded for consistently showing up to work and serving our customers."

Walmart has made other recent changes to improve worker pay and benefits that coincide with a low national unemployment rate. Last year, the retailer raised its starting wage to $11 an hour. It also expanded parental leave, relaxed its dress code and introduced a new scheduling system that gives employees more control over their hours and lets them swap shifts with co-workers.

The latest policy change, "along with previous wage investments, parental leave, adoption and other benefits, is another important step on our journey to be the employer of choice," Holler said in the release.

Business on 02/02/2019

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