Demystifying Home Depot‘s Call Out Policy in 2023

As a Home Depot employee or prospective hire in 2023, few policies have a more direct impact on your work life than the call out policy. Getting sick or needing unplanned time off is a reality for workers, making sick pay and attendance rules crucial.

In this insider‘s guide, I‘ll be sharing everything you need to know about calling out sick or missing work at Home Depot. You‘ll get the real scoop on:

• Accruing and using call out time
• Occurrence disciplinary actions
• COVID-19 absences
• Intermittent leave and FMLA
• And more

After reading, you‘ll fully understand your rights and options as a Home Depot associate to take time off work worry-free. Let‘s get started!

Calling Out Sick at Home Depot

Calling out sick or missing work at Home Depot always starts with a phone call. Here are some quick guidelines:

• Call the store directly. Don‘t go through other associates or use text/email.
• Speak to a manager. Don‘t leave a voicemail. Wait to speak directly to a Manager on Duty.
• Provide details. Share your name, department, schedule, and reason for absence.
• Give ample notice. Call out at least 1-2 hours before your shift when possible.

Every store posts call out numbers near time clocks. Ask an Assistant Store Manager or HR for your location‘s designated call out line.

Avoid last minute call outs unless you have an emergency. Even if you don‘t have available call out time, a quick chat with management can prevent misunderstandings and occurrences.

Accruing Call Out Time at Home Depot

One perk of working at Home Depot is earning paid call out time, or sick time, to use when you get sick, hurt, or need preventative care. Here‘s how it works:

Part-Time Home Depot Associates

If you work part-time at Home Depot, you‘ll accrue call out time at a rate of 1 hour per every 30 hours worked. Accrual starts after 30 days of employment and keeps growing with your tenure.

For example:

• 60 hours worked = 2 hours accrued
• 90 hours worked = 3 hours accrued
• 120 hours worked = 4 hours accrued

Your available balance rolls over year after year with no cap.

Full-Time Home Depot Associates

The accrual rate for full-timers is more generous. You‘ll get 4 hours of call out time added every month on your anniversary hire date.

Plus, you still earn 1 hour per 30 hours worked – on top of the 4 monthly hours.

So a full-timer hired March 15th would get:

• 4 hours on March 15th
• 4 hours on April 15th
• 4 hours on May 15th
• 1 hour per 30 hours worked

Full-time balances roll over indefinitely too.

Using Your Accrued Call Out Time

To use your available call out time, simply notify your manager that you wish to use X hours or days of call out time for your absence.

This prevents you from getting an "occurrence" under Home Depot‘s attendance policy (more on that next).

Unfortunately, Home Depot does not pay out unused call out time when you leave the company. The hours have no cash value.

However, if you return to Home Depot within 1 year in some states, like California, you may have unused time reinstated.

Home Depot‘s Occurrence Policy and Discipline

Home Depot uses an occurrence-based attendance system to discourage unapproved absences.

Here‘s how it works:

• 1 Occurrence – Each unapproved absence
• 3 Occurrences – Verbal coaching
• 6 Occurrences – Written counseling
• 7 Occurrences – Final warning
• 8+ Occurrences – Termination

The counter resets after 90 days with no new occurrences.

Approved medical leaves covered by FMLA or state laws do not count as occurrences.

Calling Out with COVID-19

The COVID-19 pandemic has shifted how employers like Home Depot handle absences.

If you test positive for COVID, Home Depot currently allows up to 2 weeks paid sick leave to recover without penalty.

The company has also relaxed its occurrence policy and attendance expectations given the challenges of COVID-19.

Be sure to communicate with management to take advantage of COVID pay and absence allowances. The situation is fluid.

Taking Intermittent Leave or FMLA

Dealing with a major health situation? Consider applying for an intermittent leave or FMLA.

Intermittent leave allows you to take time off as medically necessary while keeping your job protected. This is great for ongoing conditions like chemotherapy.

FMLA provides up to 12 weeks of job-protected, unpaid leave over 12 months for serious medical situations. You‘ll need medical documentation.

Both options help care for your health without jeopardizing your Home Depot employment. Speak to an ASDS or check MyApron for more.

By The Numbers: Home Depot‘s Workforce

To provide helpful context around Home Depot‘s policies, here are some key stats on the company‘s vast workforce:

• More than 400,000 associates company-wide
• 3,300 store locations across US and Canada
• $17 billion spent on employee compensation and benefits (2021 annual report)
• 89% of store leadership started as hourly associates

With so many hourly workers, Home Depot‘s absence policies like call outs have a huge impact. For example, the typical full-time associate earns over 140 hours of call out time after 5 years of employment:

That‘s some serious paid time off!

Key Takeaways

After reading this insider‘s guide, you should understand:

• How to properly call out sick at Home Depot
• Accrual rates for part-time and full-time associates
• The occurrence discipline policy and how to avoid it
• COVID-19 absence allowances
• Leave of absence options like FMLA and intermittent leave

I hope this article provides clarity and confidence for navigating call outs and attendance as a Home Depot associate. Don‘t hesitate to reach out via email or social if any other questions come up!