When you’re looking for a new job (or are employed by a company), it’s a good idea to look into the different policies that workplaces have in place to protect your health and well-being.
So if you’re applying for a role or have just accepted an offer at Home Depot, you may be wondering – what is Home Depot’s call-out policy? Here’s what I’ve found through my research!
Home Depot Call Out Policy
Home Depot’s call-out policy requires employees to inform the store immediately that they cannot work. Associates are required to use call-out time (sick leave) they have accumulated from the hours they’ve worked. In case an employee has not stored enough call-out hours, they may be given an ‘occurrence’.
If you want to learn more about how much call-out time Home Depot employees get, how to tell your manager at Home Depot that you’re sick, and much more, keep reading!
How Do You Call-Out Sick To Home Depot?
If you have a shift at Home Depot but are too ill to work, you should call your store and notify the manager on duty as soon as possible.
Keep in mind that your absence will be deducted from the hours you have accumulated, and you may receive an ‘occurrence’ if you do not have sufficient time off.
An occurrence is Home Depot’s step-by-step process for disciplinary action against an employee.
However, if you have a long-term personal illness or situation which prevents you from working, you can apply for an intermittent leave of absence with your store manager.
How Much Call-Out Time Do You Get At Home Depot?
The amount of time off you get for paid sick days depends on your contract and how many hours you work.
For part-time employees, your call-out time is accumulated into a ‘bank’, with 2 hours added each month (depending on your state) after you have worked at Home Depot for 30 days.
For example, if you live in California, you will get 1 hour for every 30 hours worked.
If you’re a full-time employee, the amount of call-out time you receive will also depend on the state you live in.
However, you will also get 4 hours of call-out time every month after your hire date, i.e. those hired on the 3rd of the month would get 4 hours on the 3rd of every month going forward.
Does Home Depot Pay Employees That Have Called Out?
Unfortunately, Home Depot does not add your accumulated call out time to your final paycheck if you decide to leave or are terminated by management.
You can receive payment for your accumulated vacation time in your final paycheck in certain states, but this is entirely different from paid sick leave.
However, previous employees have discussed this matter with their managers and received their paid sick leave with their final paycheck in some cases.
So if you leave on good terms and feel confident about asking, you may receive a payment, but Home Depot’s policy does not require the company to pay out collected call-out time.
Does Call Out Time Roll Over At Home Depot?
You can accumulate your paid sick leave hours depending on your state.
Most states have laws to protect workers’ rights to keep their sick leave throughout their employment.
Note that if you have collected over 48 hours for full-time work (and 24 for a part-time job), Home Depot will pay you for additional call-out hours, listing it as Sick Time Bonus on your pay stub.
Can Home Depot Managers Deny Call Out Time?
Neither Home Depot nor any other company can deny you a call-out day when you inform your workplace that you are too ill to work.
However, if you do not have any paid sick leave time accumulated at Home Depot, your manager will note this as an occurrence.
If you require a leave of absence from Home Depot for reasons such as family issues, health, or personal issues, you can discuss the requested absence with your manager.
How Many Times Can You Call Out At Home Depot?
Home Depot will allow you to call out without accumulated hours in the ‘bank’ three times, i.e. the company will tolerate three occurrences before intervening.
Note that if you call out for consecutive days without accrued hours, Home Depot may only provide one occurrence.
However, you may be fired if you call out without sufficient hours another three to four times.
According to its firing and termination policy, Home Depot may fire associates that call out 6-7 times, depending on the store, causing an occurrence or providing an unreasonable answer.
Keep in mind that Home Depot can provide personal support before employees reach this stage.
What Happens If You Call Out Too Many Times At Home Depot?
Home Depot’s disciplinary process covers four steps for when an employee calls out more than the acceptable number of times.
Firstly, the manager will discuss the issue with the employee to prevent further occurrences in the future, which is known as the Coaching Session and occurs after three occurrences.
The next step is a formal written notice to the employee, known as the counseling session, which is received after three more occurrences.
After the 7th occurrence, the manager provides a final warning to the employee about their behavior and lets them know that their subsequent unexcused absence will result in termination.
The final step results in the employee’s contract termination if the employee has one more unexcused absence.
Note that these steps can be avoided if you use your paid sick leave hours appropriately or discuss taking an extended leave of absence with your manager for any ongoing health issues.
Now that you know about Home Depot’s call-out policy, you can also read our related posts on the Home Depot bereavement policy, Home Depot employee discount, and the Home Depot break policy.
Conclusion
Home Depot’s call-out policy for sick days requires employees to call and inform their workplace immediately if they believe they cannot work that day due to illness.
Paid sick leave is accumulated by working at Home Depot and the hours depend on your contract and state laws.
Your call-out time can roll over, and if you have accumulated 48 hours or more as a full time worker, you can gain a bonus on your paycheck under ‘Sick Time Bonus’ on your pay stub.