In 2006, Wal-Mart implemented a strict attendance policy of 3 non-consecutive unpaid absences in a 12-month period. Consecutive absences up to three days count as one absence, and anything beyond that required a Leave of Absence as covered under FMLA to protect your job. Your third absence, or non-serious infraction, will be met with a "Personal Discussion", a meeting with the employee, an assistant manager, and in some cases an hourly manager such as a Support Manager or Customer Service Manager. They will discuss what the problem is and "ask if they can help." In this step the meeting is usually very informal. No information will be entered in to the computer, but in some cases you will sign a form. The second infraction will be met with Verbal Coaching. This meeting will be relatively the same but you will definitely sign a form, verifying you received this verbal warning. The third infraction (or fifth absence) will result in a "Written Coaching", at the end of which you must sign a longer form and fill out a computerized version of a similar form with two members of management. The next step is a "Decision Making Day." There will be another meeting, more paper and electronic forms to sign, and you will be given one full shift of paid time off to reflect on whether this is the job for you, and what you should do to keep it. You will also be required to write a one page report which you will turn into the manager to be filed and typed into the computer.
The last infraction results in termination.
Some offenses will result in an automatic D-Day, or automatic firing depending on the severity of the situation--such as causing harm to another person, sexual harassment, or theft. Coaching is is a level based process and lasts for 6 months, or a year in the case of a D-Day. If you are coached for attendance, and then commit another first time infraction, you will still be brought up to the next level of coaching.
This is important because most of the people who are fired from Wal-Mart are terminated for attendance reasons. The disciplinary system is for the most part fair, but is almost totally automated. Only Store Managers or Co-Managers have the ability to completely override the coaching system, which leaves little room for personal discretion. This was done to create prejudice, but most stores have enough managers that problems with prejudice can easily be kept in line by a human system of checks and balances--one they already have set up in the Open Door Policy.
