Do you want to understand Walmart’s policy on availability?
Then keep reading!
We have absolutely everything you need to know about Walmart’s availability policy and how it will affect you right here.
Can Walmart Schedule You to Work Outside Your Availability?
Walmart can schedule you to work outside of your availability. While Walmart does not have to abide by your availability, if you have a good reason for your requests, they are far more likely to honor them. Therefore, you should always communicate with your manager about your availability.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
- Your Walmart manager can schedule you outside of your availability.
- You can change your availability at Walmart as many times as you need.
- However, Walmart can deny your availability change request.
Now, we will discuss the details as to what you can do if Walmart schedules you to work outside your availability and how you can change your availability if needed.
What Should You Do if Walmart Scheduled You to Work Outside Your Availability?
First things first, if Walmart scheduled you to work outside your availability, what should you do?
Realistically, Walmart is allowed to schedule you to work outside of your availability. However, if it’s a problem for you, there are a couple of tactics you can try.
The first thing you should do is talk to the scheduling manager.
There is a chance that there was simply a misunderstanding and your manager didn’t realize you needed that shift off. However, it could also be that your store is understaffed and needs your help.
Either way, by communicating with your manager, you might get them to stop scheduling you outside of your work availability.
If your manager is not helpful, you should contact the HR representative of your store and let them know you are being scheduled outside of your availability.
It’s important to note that the HR representative won’t be able to do anything to help unless you have a valid reason, such as another job that you had before starting at Walmart.
Will You Get a Point if You Deny Working Outside Your Availability?
Next, many people want to know if you will get a point if you refuse to work a shift set outside your availability.
And unfortunately, the answer is yes; you can get a point on your attendance record if you don’t show up for a scheduled shift. Even if it is outside of your availability and if you called to inform your manager that you cannot be there.
Realistically, the only way to get out of working outside your availability if you’re scheduled and your manager won’t change the schedule is to use your PPTO.
How to Change Your Availability at Walmart
Even though Walmart managers don’t always adhere to your availability, it’s still important to understand how to change your availability.
That way, if you are scheduled outside of it, you can clearly show that you stated that you were unavailable on those days.
To change your availability at Walmart, you need to request the proper paperwork from your manager. Then, fill it out with your availability and hopefully, it will be approved.
You should be aware that approval for changes in availability usually takes a few weeks. So make sure you fill the paperwork out ahead of time if you have a change in your schedule coming up.
How Many Times Can You Change Your Availability at Walmart?
Technically, you can change your availability at Walmart as many times as you need to.
But as you now know, the change in your availability always needs to be approved by your manager.
Also, even if you change your availability and it is approved, remember that you could still be scheduled outside of it.
Can Walmart Deny Your Availability Change Request?
While you can request an availability change at Walmart whenever you need to, it can absolutely be denied.
Usually, your manager will ask you why you need to change your availability. And if it’s not a valid reason, they will likely deny it.
As well, your manager might also deny your request if it conflicts with the existing availability of other employees on your team.
Essentially, if they won’t have enough staff to cover the shifts you’re requesting off, then they won’t approve your request.
Can Walmart Fire You for Changing Your Availability?
You should understand that Walmart reserves the right to fire you for almost anything.
That being said, it’s highly unlikely that Walmart will fire you for changing your availability.
However, if you request to change your availability and it gets denied, you can be fired if you refuse to work the shifts you wanted off.
As well, you can be fired for not working a shift, even if it was scheduled outside your availability.
In fact, getting fired for attendance is one of the most common reasons that Walmart fires employees. Therefore, you should be extremely conscientious and always show up to your scheduled shifts.
Conclusion
Walmart’s availability policy states that while you can request to change your availability whenever needed, managers can deny the request.
Also, even if your availability is approved, you can still be scheduled outside of it.
If you need to change your availability or if there is any problem with your schedule, you always need to talk directly to your manager to get it sorted out.