Losing someone close to you can be one of the most difficult and heartbreaking experiences imaginable. When in grief, we often need time to rest, reflect, process our feelings, and be with family and friends.
Even though taking time off work doesn’t make any of the pain of grief go away, it can still be a huge help to know that you won’t need to juggle work and grief for the first few days of your process.
Walmart allows employees three days of paid bereavement leave in the event of a death of an immediate family member. Walmart defines immediate family members as siblings, parents, grandparents, children, or significant others.
For friends or non-immediate family members such as cousins, aunts, or uncles, Walmart associates can still take three days off, but they will not be compensated for this time.
Of course, three days seems like an extremely short time to grieve the loss of someone close to us. If you need more than three days off, you can discuss extending your bereavement leave with your manager. Unfortunately, you will not be compensated for more than three days of leave, but you can still receive an extended unpaid leave to give you some more time to get back on your feet.
Extensions Of Bereavement Leave
If you would like more than three days off for your bereavement leave, you can request additional time from your manager. However, any time beyond three days will unfortunately not be compensated.
Contents
Full-Time Vs. Part-Time Bereavement Benefits
Grief affects everyone, and no one should have to work to earn their right to bereavement leave. This is why all Walmart employees qualify for the same three-day paid bereavement leave regardless of how many hours they work per week.
How To Get Bereavement Leave At Walmart?
If you experience a death in your life, going through the process of requesting leave might feel like a hard task to take on. But being prepared and knowing the steps ahead of time might be helpful when the time comes to have the hard conversations.
First, it’s important to know that all leaves of absence (LOAs) requested by Walmart associates must be applied for online or over the phone through Sedgwick, Walmart’s third-party administrator.
To request your bereavement leave as a Walmart associate, follow these steps:
- Call 800-492-5678 or visit mySedgwick and complete a formal request for bereavement leave
- Sedgwick will check your eligibility, send your request for approval to your store location, and record and track your leave
- NOTE: All leave requests must be submitted to Sedgwick, even if your leave requires approval by your facility manager
According to Walmart, the Sedgwick system usually only takes about 1 business day to approve leave requests. If you have not received your leave approval within 24 hours, contact your store manager directly to discuss your leave.
Bereavement Policy Comparison
In terms of comparison, Walmart’s bereavement policy is identical to those of all of its main competitors.
Companies like Target, Home Depot, Walgreens, and more all offer three days paid leave in the event of a death in the immediate family.
FAQs
Do Walmart employees receive salary on bereavement leave?
Yes. All Walmart employees qualify for three days of paid leave in the event of a death in the immediate family.
Is bereavement leave at Walmart an excused absence?
Yes. If you have approved bereavement leave, your absence from work is considered excused and you will not be expected to show up for work.
Is there a law that requires Walmart to give bereavement leave to its employees?
No. There is no federal law regarding bereavement leave. However, some states legally require companies to offer bereavement leave, while others do not.
Do all Walmart locations give bereavement leave?
Yes. The Walmart corporation as a whole offers bereavement leave to all of its employees.
