Whether you’re a part-time or full-time Walmart employee, it’s important to keep a clear attendance record. Any unexpected issues must be reported to the higher-ups before your scheduled shift begins. Otherwise, any violation will be reflected in Walmart’s attendance policy point system, resulting in severe disciplinary actions.

After months of research, my team has compiled the following guide to outline in more detail how the system works.

What is The Walmart Point System for Employees 2024?

Walmart deducts 0.5 points for early leaves or late arrivals (less than 50% of the shift) and 1 point when you miss half of the shift. If you fail to show up and do not even report your absence 16 hours in advance, you will receive 2 warning points. The brand will usually fire its hourly employees when they reach 5 points within 6 months.

How Does It Work?

Walmart’s attendance point system works as follows:

1/2 points: You arrive late or leave too early (15 minutes to 2 hours)
1 point: You’re late for 50% of the shift
2 points: No show and no call 16 hours in advance

2 points plus an absence submission infraction: no show and no call 2 hours in advance

Every hourly worker must clock in/out on time so that the company can monitor their attendance more accurately; both early outs and late arrivals add more points to your record.

As a rule of thumb, Walmart will terminate its associates who accumulate 5 points in 6 months, but this policy may vary depending on the store managers. In some instances, an employee with over 5 points can still work due to short-staffing problems, their excellent performances in previous months, etc.

The accumulated point only lasts six months, after which the Walmart point system resets to 0.

What Is The Purpose Of Walmart’s Point System Attendance Policy?

a. Reduced Employee Absence

The point system gives each employee a concise, clear overview of their attendance record to promote punctuality. With the disciplinary actions clearly specified for higher point levels, Walmart employees will be extra cautious to avoid accumulating too many absence points.

b. Increased Engagement Between Employees and Managers

Employees might lose motivation and dedication to work without any absenteeism and tardiness policy.

A clear point system encourages employees to invest more time and effort into maintaining their attendance records. As a result, in case of urgent matters or emergencies, they are more willing to communicate with their managers instead of keeping silent about those situations.

c. Better Managerial Transparency and Objectivity

Hourly Walmart associates are not the only ones held accountable by the attendance point system chart; management is not excluded. With clear absenteeism points, all managerial favoritism and subjectivity are 100% eliminated to give everyone a fair playing field regarding disciplinary actions.

Do All Absences Result in Warning Points By Law?

Although Walmart has a strict employee point system for good reason, it must also abide by the federal laws that protect employees from unfair discrimination.

Specifically, some special cases of absence are not treated as rule violations and, therefore, should not incur any penalties or disciplinary actions. If the company uses a “no-fault” point-based system with no explicit exemptions for such cases, that will be considered illegal and might lead to severe repercussions for the brand.

Below are some types of absences that are 100% exempt from any disciplinary actions:

Family/Medical Leave Act

Military caregiver leaves
Military qualifying exigencies
Birth of new babies

Child placement for foster care or adoption
Taking care of an immediate family member
Serious health issues

See more: Walmart Bereavement Policy

Family Rights Act (California)

Childbirth
Pregnancy

Bonding with the new child

American Citizens With Disabilities Act

Any employee limited in at least one major life activity (due to mental or physical impairment) is considered disabled and should receive proper accommodations and support at work.

Can You Still Take Your Time Off Work With No Penalties Using PPTO and PTO?

Like most retailers, Walmart offers all employees PTO/paid time off, meaning they can take days off for personal reasons, vacations, sickness, etc. There is also a PPTO (Protected PTO) policy that you can use for emergencies or unexpected absences. In those cases, your attendance record will not receive any warning points.

On another note, the carryover and cash-out PTO system for salaried and hourly associates might differ. You should review your fact sheets carefully or consult your superior to confirm how these rules work for your case.

See more:

How to Check Walmart Points?

To check how many points you currently have:

Ask your manager. Your manager will have access to your attendance record and can tell you how many points you have.

Check your paycheck stub. In most cases, the attendance points should be listed on your paycheck stub.
Log in to the GTA Portal. The GTA Portal is an online portal every Walmart employee can use to access their payments, benefits information, and other important documents. Once you are logged in, you should be able to see your attendance points.
Call the Walmart Employee Relations Department. Are none of the above options currently available? Then, you can contact The Walmart Employee Relations Department for more information about your attendance points.

How to Clock In At Walmart?

You can use either one of the two following methods:

Using the Electronic Time Clock. Each Walmart store has an electronic time clock that employees use to clock in and out. Simply swipe your name badge on the clock; it will display your full name, employee identification number, and the time you clocked in.
Using the Me@Walmart App: There is also an official Walmart app that most managers have asked their employees to download to their phones beforehand. Open the app, then tap the “Clock In” button.

Some extra tips to remember:

Always clock in on time. As discussed, Walmart has a strict attendance policy!
Ensure your badge is scanned properly; if not, all your working time will not be credited.

Keep track of your clock-in times in case of any dispute about your attendance.

Is There An Attendance Reward At Walmart?

Here’s the great news: Walmart also has an attendance reward program for its hourly associates to encourage punctuality and discipline.

Under the program, those with 0 or only 1 absence in one pay period are given a bonus. Associates who have 2 absences or more will not be eligible.

Conclusion

My guide has discussed several attendance point system rules that all new hires must keep in mind.

Except for PPTO/PTO and a few special cases listed under federal laws, any unreported absence, early leaves, or late arrivals give you at least 0.5 warning points. Earning 5 points within a six-month period might end your career at Walmart, so be careful!