Am I Obligated to Work Outside of District?

[pharmd47]

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Well, am I?

I'm a floater pharmacist and my scheduler has recently scheduled me to work in another district that requires me to travel farther than I would to any of the stores that are in my district.

I don't remember reading anything that obligated me to cover shifts outside of my district when I signed my offer letter.

When I contact my scheduler to change the shift they state that they can't switch it and make it sound like I have to work the shift. 😡

So, am I obligated? I don't feel like I am. What would you do in this situation?

 

[wucool33]

Are they paying you for the mileage? What options do u have lol

 

[grumps]

When they pulled that crap on me. I refused. But then I'm not working anymore so they got me.

I wonder if practices such as this would constitute some form of racketeering against labor. I'm thinking of a massive class action suit against the chains for complicity in inducement of fraud in league with the pharmacy schools and unfair labor practices that endanger the public. There's gotta be a law firm out there who's had a family member harmed by a misfill. If they just went beyond the usual negligence angle and attacked it as a systemic issue.

 

[CoconutLime06]

How far is it? I'm tied to two districts, but there are some stores outside my district that are closer than some stores in my district. I've only once been sent 2hrs away, and was reimbursed mileage and hotel. I think you're more or less tied to a district for evaluation purposes (is the district you float in doing well in terms of metrics) but unless they're making your drive hours each way daily they can probably make you work outside your district once in a while.

 

[pharmd47]

The store would be about 70 miles from home. They do offer mileage reimbursement but I don't care about that. I only signed on to work in one district. I have worked outside of my district before, and I don't mind it, but that's because the locations are much closer than some of the other stores in my district.

I just hate feeling like I'm being backed into a corner. I don't feel like I'm being unreasonable by refusing to work outside of my district and 70 miles from home.

I feel like schedulers take advantage if you let them and I want to send a clear message that I won't be taken advantage of because I'm "too nice" to speak my mind.

 

[winnguyen]

Can you tell the scheduler "no." What would happen?

 

[zelman]

Professional courtesy is important. For this one shift, suck it up. But, tell your scheduler that you need to approve out of district shifts in the future before they are assigned.

 

[297point1]

You are not obligated to work outside of your district...at least not any more so than your employer is obligated to keep you on their payroll.

Tread carefully.

 

[pharmd47]

Just an FYI update. I ended up politely and professionally refusing to work the shift and the scheduler subsequently changed the shift.

 

[grumps]

There is definitely a safety issue in making a pharmacist close a store at 10pm and have him open up a store at 8am that is a significant drive away from home. There are only 10 hours to shower, eat, take a dump, sleep, and squeeze the commute to and from work.

http://libertyfight.com/2013/psycho_cop_chris_mcguairt_warns_of_fatigue_while_causing_it.html