Any hospital pharmacists getting decent raises?

[vesfly]

I switched to hospital from retail over 5 years ago. At the time I gladly took a $10/hr pay cut. After yearly 2.5% raises I am now close to what I was making in 2017. Anyone getting better raises this year due to inflation? Our CEO seems like he is crying poor so not expecting much. By comparison, my wife stayed with CVS/Target until recently and never got a raise since 2016 as she was capped out at about $ 69/hr. It could be worse, but curious about the climate for hospital pharmacist.

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[Dred Pirate]

we have gotten BS 2.5% raises the last 3 years - like everybody got the same - which is demotivating. I know I have quit doing anything extra unless I wanted to.

I have friends that work at a competitor - who generally pay less, but they have gotten around 15% over the past two years specfically to cover inflation

 

[RN2RPh]

For 2022 we get an average raise of 9.5% . RPh, who is at the mid of our pay scale, makes ~ $80/hr

 

[PharmDminus]

For 2022 we get an average raise of 9.5% . RPh, who is at the mid of our pay scale, makes ~ $80/

federal? i know VA got a big raise recently

 

[PharmDminus]

What did they get?

9% inflation raise, separate from annual raise

 

[sdh02]

We got 3% annual raise with $1000 bonus...

 

[Rockinacoustic]

2% each of the past two years. Due for a market adjustment but doubt that will occur.

 

[RXDOC1986]

Worked for various hospitals and clinics the last 36 years. Through many recessions and inflations. Never expected, or got big raises, regardless of performance. Management hands are tied with budget restrictions and HR mandates. Always around 3-4% raises, if any! OR maybe it was just ME underperforming all these years!!

 

[sunnyandseventytwo]

3%/3%...thinking of voting no, but it will probably pass anyway.

 

[bacillus1]

What did they get?

4.6% in January nationwide. Plus some VAs are locally getting salary surveys...but that depends on each individual VA. Mine was 12%.

 

[vesfly]

Well got my expected 2.5% raise. I guess it could be worse.

 

[lord999]

4.6% in January nationwide. Plus some VAs are locally getting salary surveys...but that depends on each individual VA. Mine was 12%.

Officially 4.6%, but with SST and locality changes, it's like 25% for certain districts (Austin apparently was the lead). Dual appointments using the Chicago scale were 10%.

This is the most ever in the Civil Service, but bear in mind that inflation is 9+%, and this is after years of below market raises. It's to the point of staff rebellion at some agencies given how disaffected they were with the mandatory furloughs. There's a widespread issue in HHS with soft coasting and ghosting such that even the standard disciplinary measures don't work anymore.

Whatever, most of the senior staff are VP capped anyway after retention, OT, and hardship ($235,100). When pay goes up, it just reduces those bonuses. There's about 80 GS-12/13's who hit that cap as a report is sent to DC when that happens due to deferred compensation. Much less common among the GS-14's as they are rarely line staff.

 

[Dred Pirate]

a whopping 2.75% - the max we could get bassed on performance reviews - average was around ~2%

 

[RXDOC1986]

a whopping 2.75% - the max we could get bassed on performance reviews - average was around ~2%

Do we work for the same Hospital System?
Just got my performance review. And yes, management has their hands tied as to large raises. Mine was a very generous 3.25%.
Or maybe it's just me?

 

[Dred Pirate]

Do we work for the same Hospital System?
Just got my performance review. And yes, management has their hands tied as to large raises. Mine was a very generous 3.25%.
Or maybe it's just me?

Nope we don’t because literally 2.75% was the max :-( (based on a system rubric) These are raises system wide for all positions. Basically no one, regardless of position, could get a higher raise. “Below average” performers got around 1-1.5%. Maybe in hopes they would leave.

 

[TheBlaah]

Do we work for the same Hospital System?
Just got my performance review. And yes, management has their hands tied as to large raises. Mine was a very generous 3.25%.
Or maybe it's just me?

Nope we don’t because literally 2.75% was the max :-( (based on a system rubric) These are raises system wide for all positions. Basically no one, regardless of position, could get a higher raise. “Below average” performers got around 1-1.5%. Maybe in hopes they would leave.

Oh wow. I got a 2.85%, and I'm basically at the top "bracket" for raises. Sounds like our HR compensation might be similar.

@Dred Pirate , since you've been in management before, would you mind going into detail about raise determination at least for your institution? For example, if there are 5 brackets of performers, what raises would all the tiers obtain relative to each other?

@RXDOC1986 Mind DMing me what system you work for? Just curious since we're in the same state.

 

[Dred Pirate]

Oh wow. I got a 2.85%, and I'm basically at the top "bracket" for raises. Sounds like our HR compensation might be similar.

@Dred Pirate , since you've been in management before, would you mind going into detail about raise determination at least for your institution? For example, if there are 5 brackets of performers, what raises would all the tiers obtain relative to each other?

@RXDOC1986 Mind DMing me what system you work for? Just curious since we're in the same state.

Every institution is going to vary- even in my years here we have changed several times.
This year it was a basic - your annual review score = x, and then = % raise. In parenthesis was the percentage of your staff that is supposed to fall into this scores - I am not sure if they actually audit each department to keep some departments from being "easy" vs "hard" scorers
5 point scale (with decimals)
0-1.5 = 0% (5-10%)
1.5-2.5 = 1% (15%)
2.5-3.5 = 2% (56-%)
3.5-4.5 = 2.5% (15%)
4.5=5 = 2.75 (5-10%)

In the past each department just got a bucket of money and they were told to disperse it however they saw fit.

Other places I have seen use a scale similiar to above for a merit raise, then also do a market based raise based on where you are compared to the midpoint on the pay scale (those on the lower end get a bigger raise vs those on the higher end get a lower raise).

Finally I have seen some where everybody gets a cost of living adjustment (usually 2-3% in years past) then a merit based raise ontop of that based on your eval score

 

[Al.B.Rph]

11 years at my hospital. We get 2-3% annual raise and about every 3 years there’s a market correction worth about a 3-5% raise.

 

[RXDOC1986]

Oh wow. I got a 2.85%, and I'm basically at the top "bracket" for raises. Sounds like our HR compensation might be similar.

@Dred Pirate , since you've been in management before, would you mind going into detail about raise determination at least for your institution? For example, if there are 5 brackets of performers, what raises would all the tiers obtain relative to each other?

@RXDOC1986 Mind DMing me what system you work for? Just curious since we're in the same state.

Don't mind saying at all. I have worked for CHOA, for Northside, and for Wellstar in the 36+ years. Now I am at Piedmont Health System.
By far the best management and pay scale I have had, so far!

 

[TheBlaah]

Every institution is going to vary- even in my years here we have changed several times.
This year it was a basic - your annual review score = x, and then = % raise. In parenthesis was the percentage of your staff that is supposed to fall into this scores - I am not sure if they actually audit each department to keep some departments from being "easy" vs "hard" scorers
5 point scale (with decimals)
0-1.5 = 0% (5-10%)
1.5-2.5 = 1% (15%)
2.5-3.5 = 2% (56-%)
3.5-4.5 = 2.5% (15%)
4.5=5 = 2.75 (5-10%)

In the past each department just got a bucket of money and they were told to disperse it however they saw fit.

Other places I have seen use a scale similiar to above for a merit raise, then also do a market based raise based on where you are compared to the midpoint on the pay scale (those on the lower end get a bigger raise vs those on the higher end get a lower raise).

Finally I have seen some where everybody gets a cost of living adjustment (usually 2-3% in years past) then a merit based raise ontop of that based on your eval score

Thanks. My first review was a 3.8, and it's basically been above a 4 ever since (now a 4.6). I've curious, but it's awkward to ask co-workers about raises.

Don't mind saying at all. I have worked for CHOA, for Northside, and for Wellstar in the 36+ years. Now I am at Piedmont Health System.
By far the best management and pay scale I have had, so far!

That's news to me! I interviewed at one of the Piedmont hospitals 7 years ago. I didn't consider it seriously as one of my close friends was a resident there, and then an employee, and she seemed to hate it.

Nowadays, there's not a Piedmont hospital anywhere near me so it's no longer a consideration.

 

[RXDOC1986]

Thanks. My first review was a 3.8, and it's basically been above a 4 ever since (now a 4.6). I've curious, but it's awkward to ask co-workers about raises.





That's news to me! I interviewed at one of the Piedmont hospitals 7 years ago. I didn't consider it seriously as one of my close friends was a resident there, and then an employee, and she seemed to hate it.

Nowadays, there's not a Piedmont hospital anywhere near me so it's no longer a consideration.

Glad to provide news to you! I am not a recruiter for any hospital, just providing my take on employment based on my experience.
It's not just "awkward" to ask co-workers about raises.
Many, if not all employers, frown on any discussions of salaries, compensation, or raises among employees. To the point of formal reprimand.
At a large hospital pharmacy, 20 staff Pharmacist could possibly have 20 different pay scales, based on many factors. You can see that discussing pay, could lead to a huge conflict amongst co-workers.

 

[pinkpharmd]

4.6% in January nationwide. Plus some VAs are locally getting salary surveys...but that depends on each individual VA. Mine was 12%.

Hi. What is your understanding of salary surveys? My MCD states we do not need a salary survey because our nyc rate in competitive to market. NJ which is in the same VISN got 15k salary increase in 2022. A group of us have been fighting for at raise because the scale makes no sense when compared to other scales that have lower cost of living of nyc. We have provided data of how underpaid nyc is paid and nobody cares. Please comment @lord999 thank you.

 

[bacillus1]

Hi. What is your understanding of salary surveys? My MCD states we do not need a salary survey because our nyc rate in competitive to market. NJ which is in the same VISN got 15k salary increase in 2022. A group of us have been fighting for at raise because the scale makes no sense when compared to other scales that have lower cost of living of nyc. We have provided data of how underpaid nyc is paid and nobody cares. Please comment @lord999 thank you.

Just looked at the AD/MH position for Bronx on USAjobs and the range is $121,829 - $146,192 per year....is this correct? This looks ridiculously low for NYC. I thought Northern NJ should have same salary as you guys since you're in the same pay area. The one problem is that historically, hospitals in NYC pay very little, so NYC hospital salaries as a whole don't make sense, federal or otherwise. The way it should work is that you compile salaries of private sector hospitals in NYC and if yours is significantly lower, you are eligible for a salary survey. If your management isn't interested, would going to the union be an option?

 

[samven582]

Just looked at the AD/MH position for Bronx on USAjobs and the range is $121,829 - $146,192 per year....is this correct? This looks ridiculously low for NYC. I thought Northern NJ should have same salary as you guys since you're in the same pay area. The one problem is that historically, hospitals in NYC pay very little, so NYC hospital salaries as a whole don't make sense, federal or otherwise. The way it should work is that you compile salaries of private sector hospitals in NYC and if yours is significantly lower, you are eligible for a salary survey. If your management isn't interested, would going to the union be an option?

They wont help at least at my station.

 

[rxdawg21]

9% inflation raise, separate from annual raise

This was not national as no one in my area got that

 

[rxdawg21]

4.6% in January nationwide. Plus some VAs are locally getting salary surveys...but that depends on each individual VA. Mine was 12%.

We are still awaiting our salary survey been like a year…did you verify you got 4.6%? Locally we have always only gotten the across the board raise (this year 4.1%) and never the locality portion since we are special pay and don’t actually get locality pay. I’ve verified this with math every year I’ve been here and we have only ever gotten the across the board raise

 

[bacillus1]

We are still awaiting our salary survey been like a year…did you verify you got 4.6%? Locally we have always only gotten the across the board raise (this year 4.1%) and never the locality portion since we are special pay and don’t actually get locality pay. I’ve verified this with math every year I’ve been here and we have only ever gotten the across the board raise

Sorry yeah 4.1%. I thought it was going to be 4.6% but I guess they lowered it last minute.

 

[PharmDBro2017]

Last 4 years:
2.5/3/3/3%

Was able to negotiate on-call pay increase to 66% higher this past year, roughly 6k raise there. I was happy with that considering the raise percentages haven't been great. 3% raise seems mediocre to me when lifestyle cost & inflation rose so much.

 

[TheBlaah]

Well, it's about that time again for raises.

While last year my raise was 2.85%, my hospital decided to do both a merit increase and a market adjustment. The two together ended up at 11.3% raise.

Not entirely sure if it managed to match inflation over the last 2 years, but it was a welcome surprise since I wasn't expecting an adjustment at all.

 

[RXDOC1986]

Just in time for my mega-raise, at my current hospital (about 3.5%), I am changing jobs and moving on to a new Hospital. I can tell you, based on 38 years of experience, the only decent raise, is from changing employment. All my raises have been 3-5%, at best!
At my new hospital, as Director of Pharmacy, I got a little bump in pay, and the promise of Quarterly Incentive Bonuses (for management).
Start date 02/01/2024.

 

[bacillus1]

Feds are getting 4.7% for 2024. Pretty sure my pay is higher than most in the private sector in this area.

 

[Rockinacoustic]

Market adjustment of 2.5% and merit raises of 2 to 5%

 

[lord999]

SES

We are still awaiting our salary survey been like a year…did you verify you got 4.6%? Locally we have always only gotten the across the board raise (this year 4.1%) and never the locality portion since we are special pay and don’t actually get locality pay. I’ve verified this with math every year I’ve been here and we have only ever gotten the across the board raise

This is correct. If on an SST, locality doesn’t apply to you. Just the mandatory plus survey adjustment.

Title 5 hasn’t finalized yet.

 

[bacillus1]

SES

This is correct. If on an SST, locality doesn’t apply to you. Just the mandatory plus survey adjustment.

Title 5 hasn’t finalized yet.

Pretty sure 4.6% is the basic pay adjustment. Correct that title 38 hybrids don't get locality pay adjustments.

 

[lord999]

Pretty sure 4.6% is the basic pay adjustment. Correct that title 38 hybrids don't get locality pay adjustments.

It’s never final until the Executive Order unless Congress passes an alternate one. But as we are on a CR, the adjustment might actually change. Normally, it doesn’t but if they don’t make it higher, it triggers a Commission as the raise is now too far below CPI. I actually expect it to be revised to the statutory minimum between 5.6% up unless the Republicans feel confident that they’ll control Congress next election and can make the Commission work the same as the 1980s where FERS replaced CSRS over the same misalignment of pay to inflation.

 

[nickw2401]

I feel like all these other jobs and industries are getting much larger raises to retain workers but at the same time increasing inflation. Not so much for pharmacy.

 

[rxdawg21]

Feds are getting 4.7% for 2024. Pretty sure my pay is higher than most in the private sector in this area.

Yeah we finally got our salary increase Dec 2022 which was just over 7%. That plus the 4.1 and 4.6% raises and me getting another step gave me about 26,700 in pay raise in <14 months or close to 20%. Unfortunately, I’m now a step 8 so I don’t have many future step increases to get. I’m thinking Biden is going to do another good raise between 3-4% this next year. He has been basing it on the average wage increases nationwide and that is currently at the mid 4s last I checked.

I went from making significant less then local hospits when I started almost 10 years ago to making more then their max pay band for non managers and I still have 2 steps to go.