Walmart accused of punishing workers for sick days

Walmart is accused of violating Americans with Disabilities Act and the Family and Medical Leave Act

A report released by a workers’ advocacy group says Walmart, the nation’s largest private employer, routinely refuses to accept doctors’ notes, penalises workers who need to take care of a sick family member and otherwise punishes employees for lawful absences.

The report, based on a survey of more than 1,000 employees, accuses Walmart of violating the Americans with Disabilities Act and the Family and Medical Leave Act, among other worker-protection laws. The group argued in a lawsuit filed last month, and in an earlier complaint with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, that Walmart discriminated against pregnant workers.

“Walmart should fully comply with the law so that no one is illegally punished for a disability-related absence or for taking care of themselves or a loved one with a serious medical condition,” said Dina Bakst, a founder and president of A Better Balance, the advocacy group that preparedthe report.

Walmart said that it had not reviewed the report but disputed the group’s conclusions, and said that the company’s attendance policies helped make sure that there were enough employees to help customers while protecting workers from regularly covering others’ duties.

“We understand that associates may have to miss work on occasion, and we have processes in place to assist them,” Randy Hargrove, a spokesman for Walmart, said. The company reviews each employee’s circumstances individually, he said, “in compliance with company policy and the law.”

Walmart has long been known for its penny-pinching attention to detail and its opposition to organised labour. But in the past couple of years, the company has announced that it would raise its minimum wage to $10 an hour and has pledged to invest heavily in training and paying workers. Workers’ advocates have expressed scepticism about the retailer’s commitment to improving the lives of its more than one million employees. 

©2017 The New York Times News Service