As a Walmart employee, do you know your options if you need to take an extended leave from work? Dealing with a health condition, new child, or family emergency can be stressful enough without having to worry about job security and pay.
The good news is Walmart offers comprehensive leave of absence options to eligible employees. Understanding these policies in advance will give you confidence and peace of mind if the need for leave arises.
In this definitive guide, I will explain everything you need to know as a Walmart associate about taking personal, medical, and other leaves in 2024.
An Overview of Walmart‘s Leave of Absence Policy
Walmart aims to support employees who need time away from work by providing:
- Job protection: Your position is held during approved leave.
- Continued benefits: Health insurance continues as long as you pay premiums.
- Three main types of leave: FMLA, personal, and military.
- Flexible options: Can be continuous, intermittent, or reduced schedule.
- Administered by Sedgwick: They handle approval and tracking of all leaves.
Walmart leave policies align with federal regulations such as FMLA. By partnering with Sedgwick Claims Management, Walmart ensures consistent, compliant leave administration across thousands of stores.
Now let‘s dive deeper into the eligibility rules, reasons for leave, and steps to request time off through Sedgwick.
Am I Eligible for Leave of Absence from Walmart?
Your work tenure and hours determine eligibility for FMLA protected leave:
- Employed for at least 12 months.
- Worked at least 1,250 hours in 12 months prior to leave.
For example, if you request leave on June 1, 2023, you must have started work by May 31, 2022 and logged 1,250+ hours between June 1, 2022 and May 31, 2023.
These FMLA requirements apply to full-time, part-time, and reduced-time employees. Temporary workers are generally not eligible.
Personal leaves for reasons not covered by FMLA have no minimum tenure or hours. All employees, including temps, can request personal leave.
Valid Reasons for Taking Leave from Walmart
FMLA Leave Reasons
Under federal FMLA regulations, you can take up to 12 weeks of job-protected leave for:
- Birth or adoption of a new child.
- Serious health condition preventing you from working.
- Caring for a spouse, child, or parent with serious medical issue.
- Qualifying military caregiving and family leave.
FMLA covers medical issues requiring overnight hospital care or ongoing treatment. Conditions like diabetes, cancer, stroke and heart disease qualify, for example.
Personal Leave Reasons
Walmart allows personal leaves of absence for compelling reasons not covered by FMLA such as:
- Mental health conditions like depression, anxiety, PTSD.
- Domestic abuse, stalking, sexual assault recovery.
- Relocation hardship when you must move suddenly.
- Death of immediate family member.
- Major property damage to your home from natural disasters.
- COVID-19 quarantine ordered by health officials.
- Childcare issues like daycare closure not addressed by FMLA.
- Health conditions that don‘t meet FMLA criteria.
- Caregiving for extended family like grandparents.
Personal leave gives you more flexibility for life events not protected by law.
How Long Can My Walmart Leave of Absence Last?
Here are the maximum leave duration allowed:
- FMLA leave: Up to 12 weeks within a 12 month period.
- Personal leave: Up to 6 months.
- Military leave: Varies based on reason. Can extend up to 5 years for active duty.
Leaves may be taken continuously or intermittently:
- Continuous: All at once, like a 3 week medical leave.
- Intermittent: Periodic time off like 1 day per week. Must be medically necessary.
- Reduced schedule: Cutback in daily or weekly hours, like working 20 instead of 40 hours.
Intermittent leave allows you to take FMLA time off incrementally for chronic health issues or recurring treatments.
Step-by-Step Guide to Requesting Leave from Walmart
When you need extended time off, follow these steps to start the ball rolling:
1. Notify your manager. Let them know you plan to request a formal leave through Sedgwick. This gives them a heads up to plan for your absence.
2. Complete leave request via mySedgwick portal. Provide your WIN, contact details, leave dates, reason, and any required medical documentation.
3. Get confirmation of approval. Sedgwick will notify you and Walmart once your leave is approved.
4. Arrange benefit payments. Continue your health insurance by paying normal premiums during leave.
5. Return to work on schedule. Provide any necessary medical release documentation from your doctor.
Ideally, submit leave requests at least 30 days in advance for planned events like surgery. For emergencies, request leave ASAP once you know it‘s needed.
If you don‘t have internet access, ask your manager or People Lead to complete the online leave request for you. You can also call Sedgwick directly at 1-800-492-5678.
What Exactly is Sedgwick?
Sedgwick is the third-party administrator that manages all leaves of absence for Walmart employees. When you submit a leave request through the mySedgwick portal, it goes to Sedgwick for processing.
Think of Sedgwick as the middleman between you and Walmart. Their responsibilities include:
- Reviewing, approving, and tracking all personal, FMLA, and military leaves.
- Collecting medical documentation to verify leave requests.
- Providing written notification once a leave request is approved or denied.
- Communicating leave details and work restrictions to Walmart.
- Monitoring leave duration and employee eligibility.
- Coordinating return to work.
By partnering with Sedgwick for leave administration, Walmart ensures consistent, legally compliant processes across thousands of stores.
Can Walmart Reject My Leave of Absence Request?
Yes, your leave can be denied by Walmart and Sedgwick if:
- You do not meet eligibility requirements for FMLA leave.
- Inadequate medical documentation is provided.
- Reason for leave is not covered under policies.
- Proper notice is not given. At least 30 days is recommended.
- Leave policies are abused. Like excessive intermittent leave.
If denied, Sedgwick must provide a written notice explaining why. You may be able to appeal by supplying additional documentation.
Consult your People Lead if you have any concerns about potential denial before requesting time off. Know the policies to avoid surprises.
Will I Get Paid During a Walmart Leave of Absence?
The majority of leaves at Walmart are unpaid. The good news is you have options to get paid:
- Use PTO: Apply accrued PTO to receive normal pay during leave.
- Short term disability: Provides partial pay for medical leaves over 7 days.
Here are the rates for short term disability during medical leave based on years employed:
| Employment Tenure | Disability Pay Percent |
|---|---|
| Less than 1 year | 50% average weekly wage |
| 1-2 years | 60% average weekly wage |
| 2-3 years | 70% average weekly wage |
| Over 3 years | 100% average weekly wage |
You continue accruing PTO as normal during a leave enabling you to take paid time off intermittently. Make sure to strategically use your available paid leave to supplement disability.
Does My Health Insurance Continue During Leave?
Yes, you remain eligible for Walmart medical plans during leave of absence as long as premiums are paid. You have a few options:
- Pre-pay premiums before leave starts.
- Pay as usual through payroll deductions if getting short term disability.
- Pay monthly premiums online or by mail.
If you let premium payments lapse during leave, your Walmart health coverage may be dropped. Avoid this headache by proactively arranging payments through Walmart Payroll.
Can I Work Another Job While on Leave from Walmart?
No. Outside employment and self-employment are strictly prohibited during any leave of absence, whether paid or unpaid.
Leave protections allow you time to focus on the reason you are off work – not other jobs. Make sure to wrap up any side gigs before starting your leave.
Returning to Work at Walmart After Leave
On your scheduled last day of leave, report to work as directed by Sedgwick and your manager. Be sure to take care of any return requirements:
- Medical certification: If you were on medical leave, obtain doctor‘s note clearing you for full duty.
- Fitness for duty exam: May be required to assess your capability to perform essential functions.
As long as you return on time with proper release documentation, you are entitled to return to your original position or an equivalent role.
Equivalent means similar job, pay, location and hours. For example, your manager cannot demote you or cut your hourly wage due to leave.
If your health issue persists, you may be able to extend your leave duration. Make extension requests through Sedgwick at least 1 week before scheduled return.
Key Takeaways on Walmart Leave of Absence
- Three main leave types: FMLA, personal and military.
- Eligibility requires 12 months tenure and 1,250 hours for FMLA leave.
- Leave durations up to 12 weeks for FMLA and 6 months personal.
- Submit requests through Sedgwick who approves and tracks leave.
- Continue insurance by paying premiums during leave.
- Use PTO and short term disability pay to get paid time off.
- Return on schedule with doctor‘s release to get your job back.
Understanding Walmart‘s leave policies will allow you to navigate any life events requiring extended time off work. With proper documentation and advance communication, you can take necessary leave with the peace of mind that your job will be there when you get back.
