Any CPhT that do not fill/work in window?

[monsterbrain]

I have worked at Walgreens for over 2 years now, just interviewed for pharmacy school, and am certified; however, our store does not do station rotations like many other locations. The net result is that I end up at the check-out counter 70 percent of the time and drive-thru 20 percent of the time. Everytime I go into work there is a "battle" over the in-window and filling stations. The full-time people don't think they should wait on customers when the part-timers are there. The pharmacy students (even if they are only a year 1 of a 0-6 program) don't think they should wait on customers when there are non-students working.

I've discussed this twice now with my pharmacy manager and he has promised to make things better by assigning stations on the work schedule. When he does that I get my fair share at all stations, but unfortunately he only does this for about a month at a time. Then we go back to the way it has always been until I complain again. I recently asked for a transfer to a different store where I will have the opportunity to work at those other stations, but the pharmacy manager would not approve the move because "I am too good of a worker to lose to another store." So he went back to assigning stations again, but guess what? It's now been a month since he wrote those assignments on the schedule and I have been at the out counter every single night (4x/week) for over 3 weeks. I losing my mind.

Anyone else experience this?

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[confettiflyer]

When you are an intern, I would take this up with your site coordinator. Interns should NOT be working cash register for any extended length of time while working.

Since you are just a technician, where are you on the seniority list in relation to the other techs? It's only fair that those with greater seniority do get a preference of where you work.

I'm somewhat in the same situation now and have rotated into the filling station since there are three other technicians at the same level as me. However, the senior technicians that have been there 15+ years or so get preference in station.

You've already talked to your manager...go to another store and speak with the PIC there and explain the situation. I think they'll be glad to take you on as an employee, regardless of what the previous PIC may say. If you've been accepted for Fall 2008, my advice is to grin and bear it until you leave. Good luck.

 

[104921]

I recently asked for a transfer to a different store where I will have the opportunity to work at those other stations, but the pharmacy manager would not approve the move because "I am too good of a worker to lose to another store."

I've been in this situation, but kind of in the opposite way. I was not allowed to move from drop off/data entry, because of my skill level in general and the fact that I was the most adept entry person working there. However, I have really bad vision (already blind in one eye). Staring at a computer screen for 8 hours is killer on my eyes. I got that same response from my pic when I wanted to transfer about 3 months ago. Eventually I did, but that's kind of a backhanded compliment and it's not something I would say to an employee if I were a pharmacist. It just seems like a manipulative way to keep an employee stuck in an unhappy situation, when things COULD change. It also kept some of the technicians who could have been learning a thing or two at the lowest skill level.

Either way, your situation sounds ridiculous and I wouldn't put up with it. The pharmacy students shouldn't be doing register and drive thru just because there's a technician there who's been around for 15 years. I greatly respect the technicians I work with who are twice my age, but still, getting old doesn't mean you get to slack off, unless you're retiring of course, haha.

 

[PearLBenzene]

I too am a CPhT and spend the majority of my time at the counter checking out customers. Since I'm still a student and only do this part time to gain experience, I am usually directed to go to the check out counter when we get super busy and there's a lot of people standing in line. I'm jumping for joy when I get to fill.

Like confettiflyer mentioned, there are going to be other techs that have been there much longer. I know that this is a full time job for more than half of our techs. So naturally, they are going to get the more desirable stations.

I would just hang in there. After pharmacy school, you will be the one deciding who works at what station

Plus, I bet you're developing some mad people skills!

 

[mrblah]

I have worked at Walgreens for over 2 years now, just interviewed for pharmacy school, and am certified; however, our store does not do station rotations like many other locations. The net result is that I end up at the check-out counter 70 percent of the time and drive-thru 20 percent of the time. Everytime I go into work there is a "battle" over the in-window and filling stations. The full-time people don't think they should wait on customers when the part-timers are there. The pharmacy students (even if they are only a year 1 of a 0-6 program) don't think they should wait on customers when there are non-students working.

I've discussed this twice now with my pharmacy manager and he has promised to make things better by assigning stations on the work schedule. When he does that I get my fair share at all stations, but unfortunately he only does this for about a month at a time. Then we go back to the way it has always been until I complain again. I recently asked for a transfer to a different store where I will have the opportunity to work at those other stations, but the pharmacy manager would not approve the move because "I am too good of a worker to lose to another store." So he went back to assigning stations again, but guess what? It's now been a month since he wrote those assignments on the schedule and I have been at the out counter every single night (4x/week) for over 3 weeks. I losing my mind.

Anyone else experience this?

What they are doing to you isn't fair. It happened to me at the last walgreen's i worked. They wouldn't move me because all the other techs didn't want to work outwindow. It wasn't my manager wouldn't give me another position, its that the other technicians wouldn't listen to the pharmacists. After a while I just did things to piss off the technicians and pharmacists at the outwindow. Don't complain too much though, you don't want the manager to dislike you. As for me, i quit after I got into pharmacy school.

FYI, at walgreens, you can transfer out as long as the other manager (receiving) puts you in the system. You actually don't need any permission from the pharm. manager of the store you are leaving. However, doing this, will make you burn your bridges. Your other option is this, you start picking up a day or two at another store, and have your current manager begin to take you off the schedule until you only one day a week, and then tell him to take you off completely. If you do something like this, DO NOT PISS OFF YOUR manager. You want him to be in the dark. IF you piss him off, the other store will call to get their opinion of you..you want him to say good things about you.

To the peeps who don't work for walgreens: walgreen's doesn't do the "seniority system", its suppose to be equal and fair. Workflow at walgreens consists of rotating in and out of different stations based on time periods (i.e. when someone comes in from lunch, goes to break, etc).

 

[fiorio]

find another walgreen and transfer out. this pic doesn't worth u to work for.

 

[confettiflyer]

To the peeps who don't work for walgreens: walgreen's doesn't do the "seniority system", its suppose to be equal and fair. Workflow at walgreens consists of rotating in and out of different stations based on time periods (i.e. when someone comes in from lunch, goes to break, etc).

Hmm...sounds like BS to me, pretty much every company has some sort of seniority system, explicit or implied. A company that treats the been-there-for-3-months tech the same as the 20 year tech veteran is ******ed.

I probably wouldn't want to work for Wags then, I'd be a pissed off 50 year old with some snot nosed 30 year old pharmacist coming in and being treated exactly the same with respect to vacations and other things.

 

[mrblah]

Hmm...sounds like BS to me, pretty much every company has some sort of seniority system, explicit or implied. A company that treats the been-there-for-3-months tech the same as the 20 year tech veteran is ******ed.

I probably wouldn't want to work for Wags then, I'd be a pissed off 50 year old with some snot nosed 30 year old pharmacist coming in and being treated exactly the same with respect to vacations and other things.

Yep, Walgreen's treats all techs the same, unless you are a "senior tech". Workflow/scheduling is based on a "fairness" system, which really isn't fair.

Yea its a ****ty deal. If you think that pisses you off. To become a "senior tech" at walgreens isn't based on seniority either. When I was a tech I was pissed. There were senior techs who had 1 year of experience, and they had no idea what they were doing. However, being the tech with the most experience, I just ignored them for the most part. Basically, to become a senior tech, all you have to do is work fulltime, and do this checklist every morning. The ironic thing is that most of the time, the regular techs had to do the senior techs work, because well, she can't finish it. Also, not everyone can become senior techs, because its based on RX numbers. Basically, who can kiss *** the best gets the position. So walgreen's pay isnt based on seniority either....lame..I"M GLAD I DONT WORK FOR WAG ANYMORE.

 

[pharmstud07]

I have been a CPhT for Walgreens for 5 years. I was a senior tech for a while until I went part-time.

Workflow should always be implemented, along with rotating the workstations. Whenever you come in, you work in the drive-thru and work yourself all the way down to the in-window (as people come in to start thier shift or come back from lunch), then it's time for you to go to lunch. When you come back from lunch it's the same cycle all over again.

The manager needs to realize that it's only to his/her benefit to have all the techs well trained at all workstations.

How is the pharmacy when one of the techs with "seniority" calls in sick?

I would contact your district pharmacy technician trainer if it persists.

Good Luck!

 

[vu5082]

I have never had this experience. Yes, I'm nationally certified and state certified, but at my store we never have to take turn for drive-thru, in window, or filling station. We all help each other out whenever we can. I usually run the filling station, drive thru and in window...yep, I'm just everywhere, but not only me, but all my co-workers do the same thing. We treat each other like a family. We (the whole pharmacy staff) hang out at least once a month. I guess I have the "BESTEST" store ever!!!!🙂

 

[monsterbrain]

I have seniority over all part-time techs and all but three full-time techs. I am the only part-time, non-student employee that is certified. The only reason I am not a senior tech is because I work just 26 hours a week. It's funny that someone mentioned it earlier, but I have started working one day a week at my preferred store and am so much happier there.

I certainly don't want to burn bridges, but I am burned out! Our store averages around 700 scripts a day, and there is rarely a minute without a customer standing at the out counter. It's just very depressing knowing you have to face this stress day after day after day. Oh, and by the way, we don't get lunch breaks either (too busy).

OK, so you have all talked me into it. I will talk to the pharmacy manager once again about that transfer. Thanks!

 

[monsterbrain]

How is the pharmacy when one of the techs with "seniority" calls in sick?

Actually, only one senior tech has a SIMS logon to order anything. The rest of us have to leave a note for her to take care of it the next day. Hope she doesn't get hit by a truck or we're all screwed. Other than that, if a "senior" tech doesn't come in, it's a free for all for the in window. I've seen on many, many occasions six or seven techs at the filling counter (plus two-three pharmacists) while I have been left alone to man the out window AND drive thru - pretty ridiculous!

 

[Transformer]

I have seniority over all part-time techs and all but three full-time techs. I am the only part-time, non-student employee that is certified. The only reason I am not a senior tech is because I work just 26 hours a week. It's funny that someone mentioned it earlier, but I have started working one day a week at my preferred store and am so much happier there.

I certainly don't want to burn bridges, but I am burned out! Our store averages around 700 scripts a day, and there is rarely a minute without a customer standing at the out counter. It's just very depressing knowing you have to face this stress day after day after day. Oh, and by the way, we don't get lunch breaks either (too busy).

OK, so you have all talked me into it. I will talk to the pharmacy manager once again about that transfer. Thanks!

I don't believe talking to your pharmacy manager this time is going to be any different than the last time you two had the talk. Not to sound pessimistic but I highly doubt you will get transfer to another store anytime soon. Transfers don't happen unless another store nearby is desperately in need of a tech...and your boss has found another tech to replace you.

Do ask for the transfer, but also start looking for a tech job elsewhere. I know your burnt out and probably don't have the time or energy to look for another job because they work you so hard. At this moment, its best to keep your options open; just in case you don't get your transfer soon.



good luck!

 

[mrblah]

I have been a CPhT for Walgreens for 5 years. I was a senior tech for a while until I went part-time.

Workflow should always be implemented, along with rotating the workstations. Whenever you come in, you work in the drive-thru and work yourself all the way down to the in-window (as people come in to start thier shift or come back from lunch), then it's time for you to go to lunch. When you come back from lunch it's the same cycle all over again.

The manager needs to realize that it's only to his/her benefit to have all the techs well trained at all workstations.

How is the pharmacy when one of the techs with "seniority" calls in sick?

I would contact your district pharmacy technician trainer if it persists.

Good Luck!

In pharmacy utopia, that is the proper way to do it, but not all stores follow corp. procedures. At my old store, we were busting about 700 a day also. Turnover is tremendous. We get old techs, hire new one, get some floating techs etc. It was easier for the RPH to just have a good tech at inwindow, a good tech at filling, and a good tech at outwindow. I was always stuck at outwindow, because nobody literally wanted to work there. All the new techs were filling pretty much all day, because its a brain dead workstation. The in-window was always manned by a senior tech, who would never budge from that station (she literally was the laziest mammal on earth). Since our turnover rate was so great, the pharmacists just didn't want to train newbies anymore, so they stopped following the workflow diagrams. District trainer didn't give a damn as long as the numbers were up there. But you are right, the crappy techs stayed crappy, because nobody was rotating stations. I brought it up countless times and all it did was get me in the hotseat. after a while, I didn't care anymore, and just told myself that I'll collect a paycheck until a better opportunity presents itself.

All the rph's had sim codes, all the techs had sim signing at our store, because our senior tech was literally that lazy.

Monsterbrain good luck. Just remember to be diplomatic about it, but I gave you other options to consider if the manager won't budge (i.e. start picking up hours elsewhere, and start cutting your hours down until you are literally out of the store, there is no corp. policy against this, and I've done it numerous times...but do this as the last resort, you will piss off your old manager doing this, lol).

 

[Alby]

When it gets really busy at the outwindow and all the other techs are filling, just ask them for some help at the out window. Make sure one of the Pharmacist hears you ask for help. The other technicians will be more likely to help if they know the pharmacist is watching.

I must be lucky at my store- I am only part-time but we all do a little of everything- I make sure onw tech isn't spending the whole shift at the outwindow or drive thru... its just the right thing to do. Working as a team keeps us more efficient and happy.

 

[patmcd]

When you are an intern, I would take this up with your site coordinator. Interns should NOT be working cash register for any extended length of time while working.

I kind of disagree with you on that one. Learning to deal with the angry customers while in school is important. One day the buck will stop on you and you need to be able to deal with them. Besides working the out window gives you a lot more opportunities to counsel patients on rx's and help them select OTC products. Of course you shouldn't spend a whole day standing at the register either.

 

[Pharmpills]

The way it should work is that once u walk into that store u relieve anyone who has to go to break or lunch and take their station. Now if thats not the case u go to a station where no one is or as a backup to drop off or filling. NO technician should leave their station soon as u walk in the door to take theirs, u might have a few snobby senior techs who do that but thats ok if they are a senior tech. if u have a pharmacist who keeps telling u to take over someone else's station who goes from cashier to filling soon as u walk in then tell them its not fair but i guess it depends on ur ability and how busy they are.

Point is dont let others leave their station for u to take over UNLESS they have to leave/go to lunch. Ur staff should be ur friend too and not ur enemy so use that to ur advantage.

 

[monsterbrain]

Monsterbrain good luck. Just remember to be diplomatic about it, but I gave you other options to consider if the manager won't budge (i.e. start picking up hours elsewhere, and start cutting your hours down until you are literally out of the store, there is no corp. policy against this, and I've done it numerous times...but do this as the last resort, you will piss off your old manager doing this, lol).

When I asked my mgr for a transfer in January, he asked me to give him until mid-March b/c he was going to make things better and start assigning stations. Like I said, it was better for a few weeks but now it sucks again. So I think if I point out to him that it is past mid-March and things really aren't better he might be more likely to grant me that transfer. I have been working one day a week at my desired store, and that pharm mgr loves me already. 😀

Or I could just wait until I get acceptance/rejection from pharmacy school. Acceptance = interview at hospital as pharmacy student; rejection = quit working pharmacy altogether. Should be just another 1-1/2 weeks until that decision.

 

[confettiflyer]

I kind of disagree with you on that one. Learning to deal with the angry customers while in school is important. One day the buck will stop on you and you need to be able to deal with them. Besides working the out window gives you a lot more opportunities to counsel patients on rx's and help them select OTC products. Of course you shouldn't spend a whole day standing at the register either.

One full day at the out window at a busy pharmacy is sufficient IMO for an intern pharmacist. Taking a longer amount of time learning "customer service" skills is only required if you're sufficiently socially ******ed.

But I do agree, now and again an intern at the out window is fine. I'm thinking...when a tech AND a clerk is on lunch and everyone is on the phone while a line of 4+ has formed, THEN it's okay for the intern to go ring up someone.

 

[thephoenician88]

at least you're not working all the positions. That's what i have to do, our store isn't so busy that we need 2 techs, but it's harder on that 1 tech, me. I do the drop offs, i fill it, then i check them out.

 

[PharmDstudent]

When you are an intern, I would take this up with your site coordinator. Interns should NOT be working cash register for any extended length of time while working.

Since you are just a technician, where are you on the seniority list in relation to the other techs? It's only fair that those with greater seniority do get a preference of where you work.

I'm somewhat in the same situation now and have rotated into the filling station since there are three other technicians at the same level as me. However, the senior technicians that have been there 15+ years or so get preference in station.

I quit my first pharmacy job, because the pharmacy manager held this same view.

What happens when someone calls in sick? If only one tech works at the in-window on a regular basis, then who will take up the slack when the tech isn't there? The unexperienced cashiers will be of no help at that time.

I advise you to change your viewpoint about workstation assignments, because it will adversely affect the pharmacy when things stray from the ordinary, and it will cause techs to become bitter towards other techs.

There is no such thing as seniority at Walgreen's. They have senior techs, but those techs just have more responsibilities and monetary compensation, not workstation preference.

Thankfully!!! we rotate where I work now. I had to struggle to get away from the register every night last semester, but once I started showing my boss that I was dedicated to my job and that I didn't like working the register because I wasn't being challenged, he let me have my way, i.e. casually rotating throughout shifts.

Note: I'm a CPhT and an intern.

 

[confettiflyer]

I quit my first pharmacy job, because the pharmacy manager held this same view.

What happens when someone calls in sick? If only one tech works at the in-window on a regular basis, then who will take up the slack when the tech isn't there? The unexperienced cashiers will be of no help at that time.

I advise you to change your viewpoint about workstation assignments, because it will adversely affect the pharmacy when things stray from the ordinary, and it will cause techs to become bitter towards other techs.

There is no such thing as seniority at Walgreen's. They have senior techs, but those techs just have more responsibilities and monetary compensation, not workstation preference.

Thankfully!!! we rotate where I work now. I had to struggle to get away from the register every night last semester, but once I started showing my boss that I was dedicated to my job and that I didn't like working the register because I wasn't being challenged, he let me have my way, i.e. casually rotating throughout shifts.

Note: I'm a CPhT and an intern.

But think about it....pretend you're a tech and you've been with the company 15 years, wouldn't you be pissed off if you kept getting sent to the cash register to mindlessly ring people up? There's a reason you have minimum wage 17 year old clerks to do that.

As a manager, I'd rather alienate the transient tech who is going to leave my store for pharmacy school in 1-2 years anyway vs. that 15 year technician who will be at my side for another 10 years.

 

[PharmDstudent]

But think about it....pretend you're a tech and you've been with the company 15 years, wouldn't you be pissed off if you kept getting sent to the cash register to mindlessly ring people up? There's a reason you have minimum wage 17 year old clerks to do that.

As a manager, I'd rather alienate the transient tech who is going to leave my store for pharmacy school in 1-2 years anyway vs. that 15 year technician who will be at my side for another 10 years.

I knew you would respond. 😀 I saw your green light come on. 😛

 

[PharmDstudent]

Confettiflyer...
I've known some really lousy techs who can only work at one station, because they've never been pushed to work elsewhere.

This is how the stage was set at my first job:
(daytime shift)
one tech worked drop-off
one tech worked the register and called doctors
one tech worked production and inventory

(nighttime shift)
seniority ruled
the last tech that was hired was always stuck at the register

So... when one tech would call out during the morning shift, they were crippled, because they couldn't do each other's jobs. Eventually, the tech who did production left after she had a baby. It hasn't been "the same" since that tech left the pharmacy.

 

[confettiflyer]

Well, whenever you throw a baby into anything, that'll eff up the situation!

Anyway...babies aside, I still don't like the idea of making your career technicians unhappy. They're most likely underpaid already.

In my pharmacy, seniority rules...I rotate between production and register, but rarely do drop off. I have had training in typing prescriptions and have done it from time to time, so I see your point that in an absolute "station strict" pharmacy, problems can happen, but that is a failure of training, not ineffective management. When a senior drop off technician calls in, I can jump in (albeit a little slower) with no problem.

My concern is the long term ramifications of consistently scheduling a 15 year veteran to the register 2-3 hours out of their 8 hour day when they don't want to.

 

[Sparda29]

Friday nights, this really kills me because it's only me and the pharmacist. We had a permanent pick-up and inventory technician during the day. She's not too good with computers, however, the idiots up front forgot to mention to us that they painted the floor in the back room.

So, when our pick-up technician was getting ready to leave and went to the back room, she slipped and fell on her back hard, she missed hitting her head on this metal thing by like 5 inches. Now, she is 55+ years old, it's been 3 weeks since the injury and she has not been back at work.

So, its just the pharmacist and the other tech. The other tech is another lady who is around 45 years old. She and the pharmacist are always arguing about something, so when I come in, the fuses on the tempers are pretty short.

I'm pretty adamant on not working the register because we were too nice and allowed people who didn't have any prescriptions to ring up their stuff at the pharmacy register. That and I am tired of trying to explain to people why they have a copay. All I tell them now is to call their insurance company and find out why.

My boss is pretty adamant about not working the register for the same reasons.

Before the new year, we had 2 techs from 4PM-8PM. I work the 4-9 shift, so I usually did register for one hour, which was fine. But then CVS goes and cuts our hours because we did less prescriptions last year, this is because we pretty much stopped letting people transfer their scripts in. I mean, you have Rite-Aid just across the street, why do you walk into CVS with 10 Rite-Aid bottles?


Yep, so now it's just me and the boss from 5PM-9PM. Before, I would work drop off and production, boss works production/verification/consultation, and the other tech would work pickup and production.

It's really awkward when I'm working on a bunch of scripts with a patient, then my boss tells me to go to the register while the drop-off patient is right there. (I don't let the patient's leave until the insurance goes through.)

 

[PharmDstudent]

Well, whenever you throw a baby into anything, that'll eff up the situation!

Anyway...babies aside, I still don't like the idea of making your career technicians unhappy. They're most likely underpaid already.

In my pharmacy, seniority rules...I rotate between production and register, but rarely do drop off. I have had training in typing prescriptions and have done it from time to time, so I see your point that in an absolute "station strict" pharmacy, problems can happen, but that is a failure of training, not ineffective management. When a senior drop off technician calls in, I can jump in (albeit a little slower) with no problem.

My concern is the long term ramifications of consistently scheduling a 15 year veteran to the register 2-3 hours out of their 8 hour day when they don't want to.

The daytime tech, that I just talked about, who did drop-off wanted to run the register sometimes, because she didn't always like the stress from the in-window.

Everyone needs a break sometimes. Trust me... it helps! You just have to be confident enough in your managing capabilities to delegate a switch that will benefit all of your employees. You won't make your full-time tech unhappy if you get them to switch positions from the beginning.

 

[monsterbrain]

My concern is the long term ramifications of consistently scheduling a 15 year veteran to the register 2-3 hours out of their 8 hour day when they don't want to.

Two to three hours a day at a register is nothing to complain about. I'm talking about the kind of misery where I work the drive thru or cash register for 8 hours straight without a break, for 4 days a week, for 8 weeks in a row. 😡

Isn't it illegal to not give employees lunch or breaks?

 

[lxapillpusher]

luckily, my walgreens pharmacy is pretty slow. So all the techs and I just do whatever we need to do at the time. Usually I come in and fill for a little bit. When the tech at the drive through or out window leave to do something else (like get a script for a patient we havent even filled), I tend to take over the drive through and out window from then on. Then when I need to get something else, and a patient is waiting, another tech would usually take over my spot for a while. I like it this way. We don't really "fight" over a station. We just do whatever we need to do.

 

[Transformer]

Two to three hours a day at a register is nothing to complain about. I'm talking about the kind of misery where I work the drive thru or cash register for 8 hours straight without a break, for 4 days a week, for 8 weeks in a row. 😡

Isn't it illegal to not give employees lunch or breaks?

It is illegal to not give employees one 30 minute lunch and two 10 minute breaks for 8 hours of work.

What State do you work in?

I work in California. The following are California labor laws regarding lunch and breaks:


[SIZE=-1]California Labor Law Meal Break: When am I required to have rest and meal periods on the job?

[SIZE=-2]California Labor Laws - Mandatory Lunch and Meal Breaks

[/SIZE][SIZE=-2]California law provides that employees must receive a 30 minute meal break if they work in excess of five hours. During this time, the employee must be relieved of all duties because it cannot be a working lunch. If an employer fails to give a proper meal break, the employee can recover one hour of pay at their regular rate of pay for each day they are not provided a proper meal break.

There are exceptions to the rules regarding meal breaks. A bona fide "exempt" employee is not subject to this rule. If the work day is less than six hours, the employee can agree to waive the time period. In the health care industry, an employee can agree, in writing, to waive this meal period. Further, employees working under a collective bargaining agreement may not be subject to the rules regarding meal periods.[/SIZE]
[SIZE=-2]In some cases, an "on duty" meal break can be provided only when the nature of the job prevents the employee from being relieved of duty and if there is a written agreement between the employer and employee. The written agreement shall state that the employee may revoke the agreement at any time.[/SIZE]
[SIZE=-2]These rules only apply to employees in California. Federal law does not have a meal time requirement. [/SIZE]
[SIZE=-2]California Labor Laws - Mandatory Rest Breaks
[/SIZE][SIZE=-2]California labor law requires that employees get rest breaks if they work over three and a half hours a day. These mandatory breaks must be in the middle of each work period and must be 10 minutes for every four hours worked or fraction thereof. Rest breaks are work time and the employee must be paid for them.

If an employer fails to provide an employee a rest period, the employee can recover one hour of pay for each work day that the rest period is not provided.

An exception to the rule is made for bona fide "exempt" employees. They are not subject to this rule.[/SIZE]
[/SIZE]

 

[confettiflyer]

Two to three hours a day at a register is nothing to complain about. I'm talking about the kind of misery where I work the drive thru or cash register for 8 hours straight without a break, for 4 days a week, for 8 weeks in a row. 😡

Isn't it illegal to not give employees lunch or breaks?

Wow, talk about tangent...how does state labor law play into your argument about seniority and not wanting to schedule 50 year old technicians to a cash register?

 

[monsterbrain]

Wow, talk about tangent...how does state labor law play into your argument about seniority and not wanting to schedule 50 year old technicians to a cash register?

Umm, Confetti, I think you meant to quote someone else? I wasn't the one who had an argument about seniority and 50 year olds. I'm just the one whoe needs to find a new job. 😀 By the way, I live in Missouri.

 

[coyotefan]

Being in a slower store I guess I have it a little easier. We don't have assigned stations we work at. We all basically move around and do what needs to be done. Even my pharmacist will go ring someone out if needed.

But being a certified tech thats been there the longest, i do get irratated when the new hire and I are both filling and a car pulls up, we both know it's there but she doesn't move. My pharmacist says, "can someone grab the drive through". I always end up going to ring them out because I don't like to make people wait, it just makes them more angry.

 

[mrblah]

Being in a slower store I guess I have it a little easier. We don't have assigned stations we work at. We all basically move around and do what needs to be done. Even my pharmacist will go ring someone out if needed.

But being a certified tech thats been there the longest, i do get irratated when the new hire and I are both filling and a car pulls up, we both know it's there but she doesn't move. My pharmacist says, "can someone grab the drive through". I always end up going to ring them out because I don't like to make people wait, it just makes them more angry.

thats what burned me out, doing too much all the time, because the noobie techs don't want to do anything but fill (and they still are too damn slow, waiting for the autofill machine), slow typists (not going to blame them), and pharmacists that are too chickencrap to tell the techs to do anything (because they don't want to step on anyone's toes). Without good workflow or seniority rules, everybody gravitates to the in-window and fill stations, Noob techs pretend they are deaf, blind, and stupid to the things that go around them, push them a little to far, and they run and cry to the district trainer.

BLah blah blah, i hate retail
thanks for hearing me rant 🙂

 

[confettiflyer]

Umm, Confetti, I think you meant to quote someone else? I wasn't the one who had an argument about seniority and 50 year olds. I'm just the one whoe needs to find a new job. 😀 By the way, I live in Missouri.

whoops...i just noticed that. haha, all the user names start to blend together after a few beers...err..hours.

 

[coyotefan]

thats what burned me out, doing too much all the time, because the noobie techs don't want to do anything but fill (and they still are too damn slow, waiting for the autofill machine), slow typists (not going to blame them), and pharmacists that are too chickencrap to tell the techs to do anything (because they don't want to step on anyone's toes). Without good workflow or seniority rules, everybody gravitates to the in-window and fill stations, Noob techs pretend they are deaf, blind, and stupid to the things that go around them, push them a little to far, and they run and cry to the district trainer.

BLah blah blah, i hate retail
thanks for hearing me rant 🙂

Couldnt have said it better myself. Except my pic pharmacist will stick up for me and tell the new kid to do stuff. Its the other pharm (whom I dont like) that is a chicken, so it's ok for half the time at work.

 

[Sparda29]

Things just work better and more efficiently when everyone has assigned roles.

I'm usually the drop-off technician, and it annoys to hell when the other tech gravitates over to the other computer and starts printing things out when they run out of things to count.

I like printing things out in time order. If there is a rejection on the 3-4 scripts due at 1PM, I am not going to print out the 2PM scripts until those rejections are resolved. This is because I pull the medication from the bays before hitting the print button. The reason for this is because our computer sucks at inventory. When the prescription is not printed, I can still go and edit it and make it a partial fill. So, when some tech goes and prints out 10 prescriptions, then we gotta go looking for the medication, hope that we didn't change manufacturers, hope the stuff is in stock, just too messy.

Personally, I don't have a problem with having a line of people waiting at drop-off, as long as things stay calm on our side of the counter. If someone has 7 scripts, I'll enter them all in, check if we have all the medication, and process them through insurance, resolve any insurance rejections, THEN let them go and tell them that it is gonna be 2 hours, instead of taking all the scripts, writing down the name and date of birth and hoping they are in the system.

 

[panzer]

find another walgreen and transfer out. this pic doesn't worth u to work for.

It is not that easy and as someone mentioned [though i don't completely agree with their post about just filling in at another store being that easy] managers are the key. My store manager didn't like to hire that many people and wouldn't let me transfer until i blackmailed her with at least 2 stores wanting me to work at their stores... 😀

PS For the thread starter, have you ever worked out window and drive thru at the same time? TRUST ME it is sooo much fun NOt!

 

[panzer]

thanks for hearing me rant

Who said we wanted to hear it?

Btw, in defense of noobies, i was a noobie too and i somehow got stuck doing drive thru and out window at the same time and never got any breaks ! I sooo wanted to beat up the senior techs!

 

[anjaku]

I have worked with Walgreens for almost a year. We have 3 stores in this city, 2 are fairly slow and one is 24 hours and almost always busy. At the busy store, our senior techs fill out daily workflow charts where everyone rotates position every hour. When things get really busy, or when people are at lunch, things get shifted a little, but we really make an effort to follow workflow. This is the policy that our manager and all pharmacists support. The charts are filled out normally at least a week in advance and the people filling them out really do rotate people so they aren't doing the same thing for more than 2 hours in a row, and that would only be if we have 4 techs and you move from out window to drive thru, you would then rotate to in window and filling before going back to out window. My training with Walgreens emphasized this and I'm a little surprised to hear you saying that you do a whole shift in one station. The pharmacist will even help out to give someone a break when they can. I would try talking to someone other than the pharmacy manager if possible, maybe the store manager of district manager.

 

[panzer]

^ I was also stuck at checkout / drive thru [usually both at same time ]. The system in walgreens was that you can also do scripts on drive thru computer but I never really got to do it except scanning the script since i was slow [new] and cars / customers would pull up all the time.

I used to do filling sometimes when there weren't interns or it was slow but i was expected to do drive thru and checkout in store at the same time. This 2 ladies or anyone else for that matter would hog the in window and the pharmacists etc would also support their position [not one but also the second store I floated at] because they said I wasn't "experienced" to put in scripts fast [yeh never put me at in window and then... 🙄].

I think this and the fact that I got no breaks in six hour evening shift ended up burning me out! I also did this whole thing about how many people would be in pharmacy and how the workflow should look like but I never really saw that happening.