Report: Wal-Mart to offer sick pay on first day out

Bentonville, Ark. – In a reversal of corporate policy that did not offer workers paid sick leave until their second day of absence, Wal-Mart Store Inc. is reportedly now allowing employees to collect sick pay on their first day of not reporting to work due to illness. According to the Wall Street Journal, the change in policy is part of a larger effort to improve employee morale.



Previously, employees had to use a personal day to receive pay for their first day of illness-related absence. Full-time employees are entitled to six paid sick days per year, while part-timers can accrue paid personal and vacation time. Wal-Mart also raised minimum wage for employees to $9 an hour, with another bump to $10 an hour in 2016, as part of its morale initiative.



Federal law does not require paid sick leave, although the Family and Medical Leave Act provides up to 12 weeks of unpaid leave in certain instances. Wal-Mart has been the target of criticism for its previous sick day policy, which some observers said encouraged sick employees to come to work and potentially spread germs to other employees and customers.