What is Walmart’s Unpaid Time off Policy?

Walmart’s unpaid time off policy states that employees can request unpaid time off as needed. You should request UPT 30 days ahead of time to get it approved by the manager. Whether or not they approve the unpaid time off is at their discretion.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

You need to request unpaid time off at Walmart with your manager 30 days ahead of time.
Walmart managers can approve or deny your request for unpaid time off.
You don’t get occurrence points for taking unpaid time off.

Now, we’re going to dig a little deeper into Walmart’s unpaid time off policy so that you fully understand what it means.

What Does Unpaid Time off Mean at Walmart?

Unpaid time off, or UPT, is available for all Walmart employees. So, let’s figure out what it means and how it works so you can use it!

When you work at Walmart, you are allowed to take unpaid time off for any personal reason.

However, you must request the UPT from your manager. And they can either approve or deny that request.

If you do get the UPT request approved, you will not be scheduled to work those days. Consequently, you will not be paid for the shifts you miss during your UPT.

You should know that while there is no limit to how much UPT you can request or use, if you continually need time off from Walmart, your manager will likely stop approving your requests.

How Far in Advance Do You Need to Request Unpaid Time off at Walmart?

Now, you also need to understand that you cannot simply ask for UPT the day before you need time off.

In fact, you need to request unpaid time off at Walmart 30 days before you actually need to take it off.

Some Walmart employees have noted that if you request the UPT in advance, you have a higher chance of getting it approved. So, if you know the dates you need off, you can and should ask your manager as soon as possible.

That being said, you could try to ask for UPT closer to the date, but it is at the discretion of the manager as to whether or not it’s approved.

Who Approves Unpaid Time off at Walmart?

Next, it’s time to talk about who actually approves unpaid time off requests at Walmart.

Your direct superior or store manager needs to approve UPT in order for you to actually get the time off.

When you send in the request on the online platform, your manager can approve or deny it, depending on the request. Usually, it will say “unpaid time off pending” until they make a decision.

Reasons for Walmart to Reject Unpaid Time Off

After you request UPT at Walmart, unfortunately, it is highly likely that it will be denied.

Many Walmart employees report that their unpaid time off is denied, even when they put in the request months ahead of time as recommended.

Now, if this happens to you, you’re probably wondering why your request got rejected.

And there are a few reasons why:

The dates you requested are blocked off for UPT due to holidays.
You have requested too much UPT over the past few months.
Your Walmart is understaffed and cannot cover your shifts.
Your manager simply thinks that they need you on the dates you requested off.

Sometimes, if your UPT gets rejected, you can speak directly to your manager and explain your situation to try to get it approved.

Do You Get a Point for Unpaid Time off Walmart?

Finally, many Walmart employees want to know if they will get a point for unpaid time off.

Walmart’s attendance policy gives points to employees who either don’t show up for a shift, arrive more than 10 minutes late, or leave more than 10 minutes early.

Accumulating these occurrence points can lead to coaching and, eventually, termination.

However, you will be happy to know that you do not get a point for unpaid time off at Walmart.

But if you request UPT at Walmart and it gets denied, and you then don’t come in for your shifts, you certainly will get points on your attendance record.

Conclusion

Walmart’s unpaid time off policy states that any employee can request UPT from their manager.

While you should request the UPT 30 days before you need the time off, you can make special requests closer to the date if the manager will allow it.

Consequently, no matter when you request your UPT it is always at the discretion of your manager as to whether they will approve or deny it.

Walmart Unpaid Time off Policy [Full Guide]