Whether you can keep your Walmart employee discount card after quitting your job is a common question for former Walmart employees. The Walmart employee discount is a nice perk that gives you 10% off general merchandise and fresh produce. Understandably, some employees hope to keep using their discount card even after their employment ends. Unfortunately, the answer is usually no. When you leave Walmart, you typically have to return your discount card.
Walmart’s Policy on Discount Cards After Quitting
According to Walmart’s official policy, employee discount cards are only valid during active employment at Walmart. The discount cards are solely for the use of current employees. When your employment is terminated for any reason, whether voluntary resignation or termination by Walmart, you are required to return your discount card.
Walmart discount cards have the employee’s name and ID number on them. The system automatically deactivates the card upon termination of employment. Even if you keep the physical card, it will no longer work at the register. This prevents former employees from continuing to receive the discounted prices meant only for current staff.
Exceptions in Special Circumstances
In most cases, employees are required to return their discount cards immediately upon quitting or being fired from Walmart. However, Walmart may allow you to keep using your card temporarily in certain special circumstances:
- Retirement – If you retire after many years working at Walmart, the company may allow you to keep your card for a limited time, such as 30 days after retirement.
- Medical leave – If you take a medical leave of absence, you can keep using your card during the leave period.
- Transition period – In rare cases, you may be able to keep the card for a short transition period, such as two weeks after quitting.
However, these situations are exceptions and privileges, not a right. The standard policy is that discount cards must be returned at termination. So unless Walmart explicitly informs you that you can keep using your card temporarily after leaving, assume it will be deactivated right away.
Why You Cannot Keep Your Walmart Discount Card
Walmart has good reasons for requiring former employees to return their discount cards upon termination. The main reasons are:
Prevent Misuse
The discount is meant as a benefit for active employees only. If former employees could keep using their cards, it could lead to misuse. For example, terminated employees might let friends or family members inappropriately use their card to get the discount. Requiring employees to return the cards prevents such abuse of the system.
Control Costs
Providing an employee discount costs Walmart money and reduces company revenue. If all former staff could keep getting 10% off for life, expenses would add up. Requiring return of the cards upon termination limits the financial cost and lost income that Walmart bears by offering employee discounts.
Maintain Consistent Policies
By firmly enforcing the rule that discount cards are invalid after termination, Walmart maintains consistent standards across stores. This prevents confusion at the store level. When employment ends, so do discounts. No exceptions. This clear consistency ensures the policy is applied fairly to all staff.
When You Must Return Your Discount Card
As a Walmart employee, you are expected to return your employee discount card immediately under the following circumstances:
Voluntary resignation
If you quit your job at Walmart, you must turn in your discount card on your last day or your final visit to the store after quitting. You cannot continue using the card after your employment ends. The system will automatically make the card invalid even if you keep the physical card.
Termination
If Walmart ends your employment by firing you, you are required to return your discount card before leaving the store that day. You cannot use it for any purchases after termination. Attempting to use your card after being fired may result in additional consequences.
Retirement
Upon full retirement, you must generally return your discount card on your last day before retiring. In rare cases, Walmart may allow retirees to use the card for a short transitional period. However, you may not keep it indefinitely after retirement.
Start of layoff or leave
If you take a leave of absence or are laid off with potential rehiring, your card will be deactivated until you resume working. You cannot use your discount during the interim leave period.
Consequences of Attempting to Use Card After Quitting
Many former employees are tempted to keep their discount cards and try using them after quitting or being fired. However, doing so comes with risks and consequences:
Card Declined at Register
In most cases, the card will simply be declined at the register. The system recognizes you are no longer an employee, so the card is invalid. You would need to pay full price for any purchases.
Investigation and Termination
If Walmart identifies you as improperly using a former employee discount card, it may trigger an investigation. Walmart Asset Protection teams can detect anomalies in discount usage patterns. If caught misusing a card after leaving employment, you could face criminal charges for theft and fraud.
Barred from Rehire
Employees who violate the discount policy may be permanently prohibited from working at Walmart again in the future. You will be ineligible for rehire if you failed to follow company procedures.
Alternative Employee Discounts After Walmart
While you cannot keep using your Walmart employee discount after leaving, you may qualify for other retail employee discounts in the future. For example:
New job’s employee discount
If you take a new job at another retailer, you may receive their employee discount. Many retailers offer at least 10% off for employees. So you can still get discounted prices, just with a new retailer.
Spouse employee discount
If your spouse works for a retailer with an employee discount, you may be eligible as a spouse. Retailers like Target offer discounts to employee families.
AARP discounts
Once you reach age 50, you can join AARP to access their member discounts at various retailers, restaurants, and services. There are AARP discounts at Walmart, Kroger, Home Depot, and more.
Veteran discounts
As a military veteran, you may qualify for lifelong discounts at various businesses like Lowe’s, Home Depot, sporting events, and more. Bring your military ID to qualify.
Policies for Retirees
Retiring after a long tenure at Walmart comes with the difficult loss of using your employee discount card. Here are some key points on Walmart’s policies for retirees:
Standard policy is returning card
Under normal policy, retirees must return their discount cards like other former employees. So standard protocol is to forfeit your card on your last day before retirement.
Temporary exceptions possible
In some cases, Walmart may allow retirees to keep using their card for a short transitional period. For example, using it for 30 days after retiring. But this is a privilege, not a guarantee.
No lifetime discounts
Walmart does not allow retirees to have a lifetime employee discount after leaving. Retiree cards will eventually be deactivated like other former employees. Discounts are for current staff only.
Special retiree benefits
While Walmart retirees cannot keep their employee discount forever, you may receive other special offers. For example, coupons, percent-off shopping passes, or special retiree sales.
Request courtesy card
Retirees can request a “courtesy card” with their name and years of service. This honorary card comes with no discounts, but shows your history when shopping.
How to Return Your Discount Card
When your employment at Walmart ends, you must complete these steps to properly return your employee discount card:
Notify manager
Inform your manager that you are leaving and will need to return your discount card. They can provide direction on the process.
Turn in card
On your last day, bring your physical discount card and hand it to your manager or Human Resources. They will ensure it is deactivated.
Destroy extras
Destroy any extra copies of your card. You should only possess one card. Return or shred extras.
Remove from wallet
After turning your card in, remove it from your wallet, lanyard, or any place you kept it handy. Eliminate temptation to use it.
Stop using number
Do not attempt to memorize and use your card’s number. The system will decline it once you are terminated.
Have ID ready
When shopping at Walmart as a regular customer, have your personal ID card ready rather than reaching for your former employee card.
Conclusion
The Walmart employee discount can save you a lot of money while working there. But unfortunately, the discount privilege does not continue after leaving your job at Walmart. Per company policy, you must return your employee discount card immediately upon termination of employment, whether quitting or being fired. Attempting to use the card after leaving may lead to consequences like being barred from rehire. While you cannot keep the Walmart card, you may qualify for other retail employee discounts in the future. The best approach is accepting that the Walmart discount ends when your employment does. Focus your savings efforts instead on the employee discounts available through your next job.
