Advise needed: afraid to ask for a stool while pregnant and with back pain.

[edavt04]

Hey there!
I have been working for CVS for 7 years now. Started as a staff rph at a crazy 24 hour store, however last few years worked 24-30 hrs/week (full-time in CA) as a floater.
I am 22 weeks pregnant now, and last few weeks I have been having back pain when standing on my feet all day, and I am afraid to ask my pharmacy supervisor if it would be ok if I sit on a stool (that I can purchase myself) for about 15 min (out of an hour) when verifying RXs. Naturally, I am a very active person, ready to jump and do whatever is needed, but back pain is getting to me.

The reason that I am afraid to ask my pharmacy supervisor is that when I just found out I was pregnant, I asked her if it was possible not to send me to district's 3 most stressful stores WHILE I was pregnant. She replied that she understood my position, however if I was not able to work at all the stores she needed me at, I may not get enough hours to sustain my benefits. I used to ALWAYS cover shifts at those busy 24 hour stores and did a good job (the stores welcomed me back happily), and I was disappointed to hear I may lose my benefits because she was hiring more floater pharmacists that will go wherever she sends them to.

So, if I ask her if it would be ok to sit on a stool every once in a while, she may just decide I am too much of a trouble and start write ups to let me go (this has happened to a colleague-pharmacist of mine).

What would be your advise guys?

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[rxglasshalffull]

my advise is to suck it up. because of one of my coworkers got a really ****ting annual performance review (2.3/5), not a CVS, but its cousin, because she sat once in awhile on a stool due to a medical condition....corporate really doesnt give a damn, even though you sitting on a stool 15 min out an hour won't really compromise efficiency

 

[crossurfingers]

Can you get a doctor's note that you can't be on your feet for x amount of time straight? I've filled in for an Rph who had surgery and wasn't able to do 12 hour shifts for awhile.

 

[awval999]

Get a doctors note. They have to make reasonable accommodations for a disability.

 

[SELDANE]

I've seen more and more pharmacists (and technicians) come back to work after having had knee, hip, ankle and back surgery that have to take an occasional seat during their first few months back to work. Your request for an occasional seat doesn't seem unreasonable to me.

 

[type b pharmD]

Get a doctors note. They have to make reasonable accommodations for a disability.

That and cross your T's and dot your I's afterward, and if you get fired for bull****, you'll be set!

Pregnancy AND disability? You are practically bulletproof for the time being.

 

[Sparda29]

All the independents I've worked at have provided pharmacists with nice leather office recliner chairs.

 

[Momus]

I sit down all the time. I don't give a rat ass what the boss said. District manager caught me in the act sitting several times, they made sarcastic comment but nothing else. Never get a single write ups. As far as I know, no one ever get fired because they are sitting down on the job once in a while.

 

[lcow2004]

I would advise against asking for the stool. I have a fellow colleague who did this (and also asked to take her breaks to use the bathroom) and she became viewed as being "weaker" and less competent than other pharmacists. Eventually, management just hired a couple of young fresh new grad floaters that were willing to work hard and didn't complain about anything and they gradually just took all her hours. Without hours, she lost her benefits. They never terminated her (to avoid lawsuit) but she had to leave because she wasn't getting any hours.

 

[BMBiology]

Eventually, management just hired a couple of young fresh new grad floaters that were willing to work hard and didn't complain about anything and they gradually just took all her hours. Without hours, she lost her benefits.

Yup, that's how they do it. The new pharmacists are never guaranteed any hours. If they do a "good job", they get more hours and if they dont, their hours get cut. They never fire anyone...just cut their hours. Those who get more hours are worked to the bone. They also make less and they have to wait longer for benefits. That's the new normal.

That is how they are able to still "hire" in this saturated market. The majority will not make it.

 

[rxglasshalffull]

I would advise against asking for the stool. I have a fellow colleague who did this (and also asked to take her breaks to use the bathroom) and she became viewed as being "weaker" and less competent than other pharmacists. Eventually, management just hired a couple of young fresh new grad floaters that were willing to work hard and didn't complain about anything and they gradually just took all her hours. Without hours, she lost her benefits. They never terminated her (to avoid lawsuit) but she had to leave because she wasn't getting any hours.

so true, this is what pharmacy has come to. it sucks.

 

[rxglasshalffull]

Yup, that's how they do it. The new pharmacists are never guaranteed any hours. If they do a "good job", they get more hours and if they dont, their hours get cut. They never fire anyone...just cut their hours. Those who get more hours are worked to the bone. They also make less and they have to wait longer for benefits. That's the new normal.

That is how they are able to still "hire" in this saturated market. The majority will not make it.

yeah, i know someone who is an experience pharmacist, she just relocated to a different city. she was hired to be "part-time", the district gives her as many hours as they want, if she does well, yeah she might steal some other floaters hours, if not, no hours and no benefits.

 

[rxglasshalffull]

and pre pharm kids and pharmacy students, im sure you all just cant wait until you graduate to be treated like ****. good luck

 

[rxglasshalffull]

I would advise against asking for the stool. I have a fellow colleague who did this (and also asked to take her breaks to use the bathroom) and she became viewed as being "weaker" and less competent than other pharmacists. Eventually, management just hired a couple of young fresh new grad floaters that were willing to work hard and didn't complain about anything and they gradually just took all her hours. Without hours, she lost her benefits. They never terminated her (to avoid lawsuit) but she had to leave because she wasn't getting any hours.

if you eat or use the bathroom, youre out. this is worse than slavery!!!

 

[lt23]

Move to California. I am guaranteed 2 paid 15 min breaks and a 30min-1 hour lunch.

I actually get in trouble if I don't take my lunch.

I would advise against asking for the stool. I have a fellow colleague who did this (and also asked to take her breaks to use the bathroom) and she became viewed as being "weaker" and less competent than other pharmacists. Eventually, management just hired a couple of young fresh new grad floaters that were willing to work hard and didn't complain about anything and they gradually just took all her hours. Without hours, she lost her benefits. They never terminated her (to avoid lawsuit) but she had to leave because she wasn't getting any hours.

 

[Sparda29]

Don't ask. Just do it.

 

[Gombrich12]

^^ This. If they show up and the pregnant lady is sitting on a stool they can't really say anything because the situation speaks for itself. If they reprimand you, follow up with an email saying: "per our conversation on xxx you stated I should not be sitting even though I am pregnant. I just wanted to confirm this correct with you, if it is please reply back." They don't like it when their is an electronic trail of their thuggery, so it will probably get them off your back.

 

[oldstock]

^^ This. If they show up and the pregnant lady is sitting on a stool they can't really say anything because the situation speaks for itself. If they reprimand you, follow up with an email saying: "per our conversation on xxx you stated I should not be sitting even though I am pregnant. I just wanted to confirm this correct with you, if it is please reply back." They don't like it when their is an electronic trail of their thuggery, so it will probably get them off your back.

I would advise against asking for the stool. I have a fellow colleague who did this (and also asked to take her breaks to use the bathroom) and she became viewed as being "weaker" and less competent than other pharmacists. Eventually, management just hired a couple of young fresh new grad floaters that were willing to work hard and didn't complain about anything and they gradually just took all her hours. Without hours, she lost her benefits. They never terminated her (to avoid lawsuit) but she had to leave because she wasn't getting any hours.

pharmacy is just like any other jobs out there. If they cannot reprimand/fire people out right, they will make it difficult for the person in many other ways to get that person to the point to quit the job him/herself eventually.

but to the OP @edavt04 , in your case, I just sit if I have to. Your baby and your health are far more important. You cannot quit carrying the baby but you always can find another job.

if you eat or use the bathroom, youre out. this is worse than slavery!!!

working at McD would guarantee the workers to have their 15 min breaks and/or lunch. Same laws would apply for pharmacy ??

 

[Dred Pirate]

Is CVS really getting this bad you are afraid to ask for a stool? I worked for a chain right out of school and never even thought twice about sitting on my butt while verifying Rx's at a busy story during a 13 hour day.

wow

just wow

 

[oldstock]

Is CVS really getting this bad you are afraid to ask for a stool? I worked for a chain right out of school and never even thought twice about sitting on my butt while verifying Rx's at a busy story during a 13 hour day.

wow

just wow

things has prob changed a lot from the "old" days. How many pharmacy schools there are and how many new PharmDs a year now ??

 

[NateRobinson]

Is CVS really getting this bad you are afraid to ask for a stool? I worked for a chain right out of school and never even thought twice about sitting on my butt while verifying Rx's at a busy story during a 13 hour day.

wow

just wow

CVS isn't getting bad at all. I hate it when people blame an entire company for the shortcomings of one RXSUP. My RXSUP would never write someone up for sitting down. He even encourages it every once in awhile. He says he remembers how hard it is to stand all day when he was an rph and completely understands it provided you don't abuse the privilege.

It just so happens you have a ****ty boss. It happens. Don't crucify the entire company for one persons inability to see your POV...

 

[Dr Wario]

CVS isn't getting bad at all. I hate it when people blame an entire company for the shortcomings of one RXSUP. My RXSUP would never write someone up for sitting down. He even encourages it every once in awhile. He says he remembers how hard it is to stand all day when he was an rph and completely understands it provided you don't abuse the privilege.

It just so happens you have a ****ty boss. It happens. Don't crucify the entire company for one persons inability to see your POV...

It is not one s***y boss, it is the entire culture of the company that promotes this type of personality into management. Trust me, your sup will not last long if he is letting metrics slip while being accommodating to pharmacists.

As an aside doesn't it point to something being very wrong with a company when only about 30% of the stores are actually "meeting expectations" on their biggest metric?

 

[Tiger Wong]

It is not one s***y boss, it is the entire culture of the company that promotes this type of personality into management. Trust me, your sup will not last long if he is letting metrics slip while being accommodating to pharmacists.

As an aside doesn't it point to something being very wrong with a company when only about 30% of the stores are actually "meeting expectations" on their biggest metric?

Never seen you commenting anything negative about cvs before.. I guess it's not surprising two of my buddies who used to "love" the company are now looking for another jobs

 

[lcow2004]

pharmacy is just like any other jobs out there. If they cannot reprimand/fire people out right, they will make it difficult for the person in many other ways to get that person to the point to quit the job him/herself eventually.

This is very true. It is exactly what often happens so that pharmacists who are "let go" can't do anything about it. Employers don't care because they turn around and there are tons of new grads dying for even a chance at the same job. The pharmacist that was let go may find it hard to find another employer to give them a chance once they've been branded "weak" when there are so many other candidate options.

 

[KARM12]

Hospital....where I sit on my butt so much it hurts...

 

[BMBiology]

hemmorroids, you will get hemorroids from sitting down too much

 

[Momus]

I try to stand most of the times because it's good for your health. People who sit down on the job have been correlated to have weight gain (duh), and increased cardiac risk. But, if I want to sit down for 1/2 the shift, I will fu3king sit down. I am still one of the fastest pharmacists in the district, it does not affect my efficiency at all. There is a difference between sitting down sucking at it and sitting down rocking it. Pharmacy managers and their techs always invite me back when I float to their stores and schedulers tend to call me if there are extra shifts up for grabs (trust me your boss and scheduler know who suck).

 

[rxlea]

Hospital....where I sit on my butt so much it hurts...

How does a unicorn stay in shape when she sits all day????

 

[Dred Pirate]

things has prob changed a lot from the "old" days. How many pharmacy schools there are and how many new PharmDs a year now ??

I am far from being a part of "the good ole days" I am talking back in 2007!

 

[Dred Pirate]

CVS isn't getting bad at all. I hate it when people blame an entire company for the shortcomings of one RXSUP. My RXSUP would never write someone up for sitting down. He even encourages it every once in awhile. He says he remembers how hard it is to stand all day when he was an rph and completely understands it provided you don't abuse the privilege.

It just so happens you have a ****ty boss. It happens. Don't crucify the entire company for one persons inability to see your POV...

I am a former CVS floater (part time), and I know a lot of former CVS pharmacists from at least three different districts. They all hate the company. So either they just happen to have had three bad suppervisors (each went through multiple district sup) or the company foster this kind of fear and hatred. I will go with the second option.

 

[oldstock]

I am a former CVS floater (part time), and I know a lot of former CVS pharmacists from at least three different districts. They all hate the company. So either they just happen to have had three bad suppervisors (each went through multiple district sup) or the company foster this kind of fear and hatred. I will go with the second option.

I've heard that CVS is often "messing up" pharmacists/tech paychecks (e.g. "forgetting" to pay some of your hours) esp. when you are new or just starting...

 

[oldstock]

I am far from being a part of "the good ole days" I am talking back in 2007!

even 2007 would be a lot better than now. Things are getting worse by the days it seems...

 

[Lexington2012]

My father is a pharmacist and he said that 20 years ago it would be unthinkable that pharmacists would be treated the way they are today (especially in retail). Any sort of critical thinking is viewed as an indicator that you "aren't a team player." Your personal circumstances do not matter to them.

They make you work when you are sick - swine flu sick. They work you off the clock. If you complain, they replace you.

 

[sakigt]

Sometimes its just easier to ask for forgiveness than permission.

Id go on amazon and find a small campers chair or something you can basically lean against instead of a stool. Something you can fold up when not in use. Id also get a drs note to keep JIC.

 

[zelman]

...
working at McD would guarantee the workers to have their 15 min breaks and/or lunch. Same laws would apply for pharmacy ??

This does not apply to pharmacists outside California. We're special as defined below:

Definition of exempt employee - The Fair Labor Standards Act contains dozens of exemptions under which specific categories of employers and employees are exempted from overtime requirements. The most common exemptions are the white-collar exemptions for administrative, executive, and professional employees, computer professionals, and outside sales employees. There is a also a lesser known exemption for certain retail or service organizations. The primary advantages of classifying employees as exempt are that you don’t have to track their hours or pay them overtime, no matter how many hours they work.

 

[oldstock]

This does not apply to pharmacists outside California. We're special as defined below:

Definition of exempt employee - The Fair Labor Standards Act contains dozens of exemptions under which specific categories of employers and employees are exempted from overtime requirements. The most common exemptions are the white-collar exemptions for administrative, executive, and professional employees, computer professionals, and outside sales employees. There is a also a lesser known exemption for certain retail or service organizations. The primary advantages of classifying employees as exempt are that you don’t have to track their hours or pay them overtime, no matter how many hours they work.

Dang....

Good info. Thanks

 

[anewmanx]

Just food for thought, but an employer reducing your hours instead of firing you is legally the creation of a hostile work environment, and can subject them to the full force of the EEOC rules and regulations. I.E., someone reduces your hours without a valid reason, while paying the new person the same amount as you, is grounds for you to file a lawsuit.

An employer may create a hostile work environment by reducing an employee's hours, scheduling shifts that intentionally conflict with personal life, writing him or her up for rules that were not broken, or even reducing an employee's salary for no valid reason. Employers do all these things to avoid outright firing you, because firing you without legally justifiable reason is a slam dunk lawsuit. What few realize is that these hostile actions constitute workplace harassment as well.

You guys should stand up for your legal rights - period.

 

[Momus]

Just food for thought, but an employer reducing your hours instead of firing you is legally the creation of a hostile work environment, and can subject them to the full force of the EEOC rules and regulations. I.E., someone reduces your hours without a valid reason, while paying the new person the same amount as you, is grounds for you to file a lawsuit.

An employer may create a hostile work environment by reducing an employee's hours, scheduling shifts that intentionally conflict with personal life, writing him or her up for rules that were not broken, or even reducing an employee's salary for no valid reason. Employers do all these things to avoid outright firing you, because firing you without legally justifiable reason is a slam dunk lawsuit. What few realize is that these hostile actions constitute workplace harassment as well.

You guys should stand up for your legal rights - period.

You never know who get the hours and who doesn't. So, it's a moot point. All they say will be "there is no shifts available" and they still give other people shifts, but you will never know this. All you know is "This company sucks - no hours for me" (well, you suck, that's why they don't give you hours), "I need to find another job". So, you quit. It happens more often than you think.

 

[anewmanx]

You never know who get the hours and who doesn't. So, it's a moot point. All they say will be "there is no shifts available" and they still give other people shifts, but you will never know this. All you know is "This company sucks - no hours for me" (well, you suck, that's why they don't give you hours), "I need to find another job". So, you quit. It happens more often than you think.

If you file a hostile work environment complaint and subsequent lawsuit the federal government will investigate the books and if they find evidence substantiating your complaint you will be able to win your lawsuit in your sleep.

Giving up and just taking it is why employers are able to screw over employees. I ran into a health problem when I was working for an employer that was NOTORIOUS for getting rid of people they did not like and reducing hours.

I knew my legal rights as a former employer. Long story short they paid my paycheck for the next year while I recovered from my illness, I didn't have to work even one hour during that period, and in the end they had to give me a glowing reference when I relocated to another state and began working there in the same kind of position.

 

[anewmanx]

Know your rights.

http://www.nolo.com/legal-encyclopedia/workplace-retaliation-employee-rights-30217.html

It stuns me this isn't required education in every college degree.

 

[sosoo]

we used to have a chair in the pharmacy, but ever since CVS removed the chair, i started sitting on the step ladder. they never said anything.

 

[lcow2004]

we used to have a chair in the pharmacy, but ever since CVS removed the chair, i started sitting on the step ladder. they never said anything.

Another option I have seen some pharmacists resort to is to sit on the cardboard boxes that the plastic vials are packaged in. You may have to stack up a few in order to get high enough but this may be a good alternative when the supervisor is not around and you dont have to say anything.

 

[Dred Pirate]

even 2007 would be a lot better than now. Things are getting worse by the days it seems...

agreed completely, hence why I am a former CVS employee

 

[zelman]

Another option I have seen some pharmacists resort to is to sit on the cardboard boxes that the plastic vials are packaged in. You may have to stack up a few in order to get high enough but this may be a good alternative when the supervisor is not around and you dont have to say anything.

I went for an empty overturned trash can.

 

[owlegrad]

You know you can order stools from apothecary products right?

 

[owlegrad]

I knew my legal rights as a former employer. Long story short they paid my paycheck for the next year while I recovered from my illness, I didn't have to work even one hour during that period, and in the end they had to give me a glowing reference when I relocated to another state and began working there in the same kind of position.

I will call BS here. What law required them to give you a glowing reference?

 

[anewmanx]

I will call BS here. What law required them to give you a glowing reference?

They were legally prevented from saying anything negative to my next employer, because my conduct up to the point of becoming ill was flawless.

Someone can't give you a bad reference for becoming sick, or filling a harassment complaint, or engaging any of your other rights. If they had given me a bad reference, the Florida Department of Corrections would not have hired me.

An employer cannot give a bad reference unless the information is true and accurate. Anything else would constitute defamation of character. They can say they wouldn't hire you again, or if you did something awful and were reprimanded for breaking a legal policy they can point that out, but they can't pull stuff out of their hind quarters and spread lies.

 

[Dred Pirate]

I will call BS here. What law required them to give you a glowing reference?

ya, me to, at my place of employment that just say if you are eligible for rehire - and that is probably all the law states - yes you cannot purposely give a bad reference, but nothing keeps the, from simply saying he worked here from xx to xx and is eligible for rehire

 

[Sparda29]

ya, me to, at my place of employment that just say if you are eligible for rehire - and that is probably all the law states - yes you cannot purposely give a bad reference, but nothing keeps the, from simply saying he worked here from xx to xx and is eligible for rehire

When a place calls one of your references, do they verify your references credentials? For example, from my first hospital, I have 2-3 staff pharmacists who I would put down as references. I absolutely do not trust the director of pharmacy from this place to give me a good reference (why, because I started calling out sick a lot after I gave my 4 week notice since I had unused sick time that wasn't going to be paid out. Apparently that pissed him off.)

Would a future employer try to verify that the reference I put down was really my supervisor?

 

[lcow2004]

You know you can order stools from apothecary products right?

We are not allowed to. As pharmacists, we are only allowed to order certain things that are "related to the business". If we were to try to order things like a stool, we would be written up for ordering things that they felt were not necessary and our ordering privileges may be revoked...