What's wrong with Walmart's "new" tardy policy ?

Walmart's tardiness policy is coming under fire as not being "Family Friendly " !
This is idiotic , there is only one new item in their policy - an 800 number to call for a code to give the supervisor when tardy or absent .

Wal-Mart’s ‘New’ Attendance Policy

Wal-Mart Watch and Wake Up Wal-Mart are touting an article from the Wall Street Journal discussing the company’s “new” attendance policy.

The new policy instructs employees requesting time off for illness to call an 800 number to get a code and then relay that code to their store manager for approval of their absence. Previously, employees asked their store manager directly for such time off, employees say.

In addition, the new policy formalizes penalties for employees who fail to get their absences authorized or don’t bother to call. Among them: Any employee with more than three unauthorized absences in a six-month span will be disciplined, and those with seven will be fired. Any employee who is absent three times during a six-month period and doesn’t call the 800 number for any of the three times can be fired. And employees needing more than three consecutive sick days are encouraged to apply for an unpaid leave of absence or time off under the Family Medical Leave Act. Previously, store managers had more discretion regarding discipline for unexcused absences.

see This Article from The Wall Street Journal .

Wal-Mart Stores Inc. has enacted a new attendance policy that penalizes workers for multiple unexcused absences and requires them to call an 800 number whenever they get sick, changes critics say are part of a bigger effort to nudge out unhealthy and long-tenured employees.

I am a punctual person , and am always early to work and late to leave . I have
never been a clock-watcher , and do not understand people who are consistently late . I don't see anything wrong with this policy . It is also not new , judging by the article . Just a method to get tardiness under control . If I were a Walmart
manager , I would want my people to be on time and at their job at the assigned
time every working day . What could be wrong with that ?

Workers who are late and absent cost the company money and cause other employees to have to cover for them , perhaps having to neglect some of their own regular duties .