Wal-Mart Stores Inc. has softened its stance on its attendance policy only weeks after the nation's largest private employer implemented changes that made hourly workers more accountable for excessive unexcused absences.

Union-backed WakeUpWalMart.com, which had been blasting Wal-Mart's moves as "antifamily" immediately took credit for the changes, which appear to restore some flexibility to store managers and expand the list of authorized absences. But it said the changes fall short.

"Clearly this is in response to our campaign and to us working with Wal-Mart workers," said Chris Kofinis, a spokesman at WakeUpWalMart.com, which released internal documents detailing the revisions and held a conference call with reporters Friday. "But it still doesn't go far enough."

John Simley, a Wal-Mart spokesman, downplayed the revisions, saying that Wal-Mart was simply clarifying some terms and said emphatically that the move was not in response to attacks by such critics as WakeUpWalMart.com, which has been on a campaign to change the world's largest retailer.

"We made enhancements to an existing policy and the effect of the policy has not changed," Simley said. "We are taking the opportunity to clarify some terms."

According to the latest document, Wal-Mart created a new category called "extraordinary circumstances," which range from terrorist threats in the community to a fellow co-workers' funeral. It will also start disciplinary action after four unauthorized absences, instead of three. Wal-Mart also will no longer require associates to sign an acknowledgment form, something it required when it altered its policy in early September.

Still, Kofinis said that Wal-Mart fell short of addressing one of what he believes is one of the thorniest issues: allowing store associates to leave early to pick up a sick child or other family member without getting a demerit. Wal-Mart officials have maintained that such an excuse was always unauthorized.

Wal-Mart also didn't make any changes to its tardiness policy under fire from critics and some employees, where associates under the new policy would have a strike against them if they were 10 minutes late. Simley had maintained that it was actually more flexible. The old policy provided no leeway for lateness, while the new policy provides 10 minutes before being counted as tardy, he said.

Under the altered policy, implemented in September, employees are now required to call an 800 number to report all absences and tardiness by an hour before the scheduled time. In the past, employees got permission directly from their store managers.

Dana Rezaie, a Wal-Mart worker who was on the WakeUpWalMart.com conference call said she was "disgusted" with the new attendance policy. Still, while the latest steps to improve the policy were "small," it shows that "we can make changes that will make us all happy."

In response, Wal-Mart supplied an hourly worker, Cheryl Edwards, a personnel manager at Wal-Mart store in Austin, Tex. to defend the attendance policy.

Edwards called the revised policy, implemented in September, a "good move," and said she had no problems with it. "I think it makes it easier for managers to be fair and consistent