Can anyone confirm this: Walgreens laying off higher salaried pharmacists for cheaper pharmacists willing 2 work for 41.50/hr?

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very sad to see. when I interviewed with walgreens, the going rate was 58 per hour in my market. The interview started with "Well, I just want to get this out of the way at the beginning and we don't need to move forward if you aren't willing to accept 50 per hours". I told him to just continue with the interview and I could make that decision at a later date. They could have at least told me in advance so i didn't waste my time going to an interview.
 
Is there truth behind it? Yes.

However, pharmacists with horrible reviews have been getting paid at this higher rates for years. It's not just about getting rid of higher wage pharmacists but also trimming the fat so hours are used more efficiently.

If you had the choice of a new grad getting $40/hour vs a 20 year vet getting $60/hour but had a 2.3 review who would you choose?

Now if someone wants to tell a story of a legit good employee getting the boot without leaving important information as to why out, I'll gladly listen and ask questions.
 
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What’s the approximate number of lay offs?
 
n64bomb said:
very sad to see. when I interviewed with walgreens, the going rate was 58 per hour in my market. The interview started with "Well, I just want to get this out of the way at the beginning and we don't need to move forward if you aren't willing to accept 50 per hours". I told him to just continue with the interview and I could make that decision at a later date. They could have at least told me in advance so i didn't waste my time going to an interview.
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What year and what location?
 
At some point I just would not take a pharmacy job. People get so hyper focused on pharmacy - like it’s the only job they can get.

I would just get a different type of job. Hell I can lay carpet for more than 40 bucks per hour.
 
Pharmacy schools already spinning that the average salary is over 100k but new grads are well under. Going to be interesting if they keep tuition up or layoff professors which is almost impossible due to tenure and contracts.
 
Lubeckd said:
40 usd per hour with 32 hours per week? Lol
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Note to self - never quit your current job.

Out of curiosity, does anyone know what hospitals are paying in these regions? Have they adjusted wages downward, or has the soft requirement of residency actually kept wages higher? Before it seemed reasonable to take a slight pay-cut over retail for the better quality of life in hospital work, but expecting residency as a bare minimum qualification to check Pyxis fills kind of soured the deal.
 
JustFillIt said:
At some point I just would not take a pharmacy job. People get so hyper focused on pharmacy - like it’s the only job they can get.

I would just get a different type of job. Hell I can lay carpet for more than 40 bucks per hour.
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Completely agree.

If you get rehired at $40/hour as a staff/floater, you are walking into the same work conditions, probably worse. Now you have this PIC, who is on edge because of everything that is going on, trying to keep their job. You have the DM trying to keep their job. You are actually expected to do more than before at 2/3rds the salary.
 
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WVUPharm2007 said:
You work twice as many hours?
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"Twice as many hours" is an overgeneralization as this is highly dependent on how efficient said resident is with their time.

I know many residency programs (mine included) where the residents were working 40 hours a week and that includes working on projects during business hours, not at home. Any extra hours put in would be for things like staffing (requirements depends on the program), prepping for students/precepting (which you could totally blow off if you didn't care about it), or coming in early to work up patients/pre-round (which is unnecessary if you know what you're doing).

Point is, you could easily get through residency by working only 40 hours. But many choose to put in a lot more hours because they want to do everything possible to win the favor of the staff/get a job.

It's no different than the retail pharmacist who comes in early/stays late and works off the clock so that they could teach/reteach themselves things at their own pace.
 
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VA77 said:
Pharmacy schools already spinning that the average salary is over 100k but new grads are well under. Going to be interesting if they keep tuition up or layoff professors which is almost impossible due to tenure and contracts.
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I bet if we poll most new grads, the average RPh starts with 24-32 guaranteed hours at 50 dollars an hour.
Looking at $62,400 to $83,200.
Also, from what i hear, 20% of new grads are doing residencies and we all know how that can pan out.

but hey at least, one of the top pharm schools, UCSF, converted their program into a 3 year program.
 
They are getting rid of pharmacist with higher pay, if they have poor performance reviews
After that, they’ll cut people based on seniority
 
steveysmith54 said:
I bet if we poll most new grads, the average RPh starts with 24-32 guaranteed hours at 50 dollars an hour.
Looking at $62,400 to $83,200.
Also, from what i hear, 20% of new grads are doing residencies and we all know how that can pan out.

but hey at least, one of the top pharm schools, UCSF, converted their program into a 3 year program.
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I will agree with those numbers.
 
Anyone who thinks they are safe because they have a "good" rating is dumb ass. They'll replace you for $40/hr pharmacist + two tech at 12/hr and still save a lot of money. You might be on the list for the next cut. Watch your back, one mistake you are a goner. Right now, they don't need you more than you need them.
 
wagrxm2000 said:
Is there truth behind it? Yes.

However, pharmacists with horrible reviews have been getting paid at this higher rates for years. It's not just about getting rid of higher wage pharmacists but also trimming the fat so hours are used more efficiently.

If you had the choice of a new grad getting $40/hour vs a 20 year vet getting $60/hour but had a 2.3 review who would you choose?

Now if someone wants to tell a story of a legit good employee getting the boot without leaving important information as to why out, I'll gladly listen and ask questions.
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From a business standpoint I take the new grad
 
Momus said:
Anyone who thinks they are safe because they have a "good" rating is dumb ass. They'll replace you for $40/hr pharmacist + two tech at 12/hr and still save a lot of money. You might be on the list for the next cut. Watch your back, one mistake you are a goner. Right now, they don't need you more than you need them.
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I disagree with this. It takes a certain skill to lead a good store. I fully believe they will continue the slow and steady approach.

Now once all the fat is cut and they realize they still need to cut budget? Oh everyone is at risk. There's a lot of fat though still.

All pharmacists will be in the 40s by 2030 especially since I'll be long gone
 
I'm glad I'm still sort of young while the pharmacy boogaloo is going down. If someone tells me I'm going to be making $42/hr I will quit on the spot. I will work at Target for $15/hr ringing out condoms and apple juice before dealing with all the crap we do for $42/hr.
 
Gombrich12 said:
I'm glad I'm still sort of young while the pharmacy boogaloo is going down. If someone tells me I'm going to be making $42/hr I will quit on the spot. I will work at Target for $15/hr ringing out condoms and apple juice before dealing with all the crap we do for $42/hr.
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Haha! Condoms and apple juice.. here I thought I was the only one!!

Glad to see others know this trick too!
 
Gombrich12 said:
I'm glad I'm still sort of young while the pharmacy boogaloo is going down. If someone tells me I'm going to be making $42/hr I will quit on the spot. I will work at Target for $15/hr ringing out condoms and apple juice before dealing with all the crap we do for $42/hr.
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So what you are saying is you don't do this to help people

Gotcha
 
Ok. I always hear proponents saying that we should do pharmacy or whatever for the passion or love. I have a hard time with this because you do not need to "love" something to do it.

How many of you would propose a new business initiative to corporate America and say we should do this because of love or passion. Business is emotionless. It is what American capitalism is based on. I don't like some of it but I understand it and to persuade someone to invest in anything that is a losing proposition is not in their best interest. Do we think any of these pharmacy companies care about patient's health? No, it all boils down to making money off their illness or maybe preventing it. Their mission is to make a profit first and at any cost. Corporate America has embraced the "Greed is good and now it seems its legal" mantra.
 
Gombrich12 said:
I'm glad I'm still sort of young while the pharmacy boogaloo is going down. If someone tells me I'm going to be making $42/hr I will quit on the spot. I will work at Target for $15/hr ringing out condoms and apple juice before dealing with all the crap we do for $42/hr.
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Highly doubt you will actually do that as you will deal with similar issues as a clerk but be paid 3x less than a pharmacist. Money talks.
 
Marzapan said:
Point is, you could easily get through residency by working only 40 hours. But many choose to put in a lot more hours because they want to do everything possible to win the favor of the staff/get a job.
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Not true at all. You are generalizing. I have seen residents on both ends of the spectrum. Understaffed hospitals will work their residents like slaves, down to the ground. Bad preceptors will purposely burnout residents and give them all the time consuming work to do at home along with their regular shift at the hospital. Some horrible residents will take out their frustrations on APPE students.
 
VA77 said:
Ok. I always hear proponents saying that we should do pharmacy or whatever for the passion or love. I have a hard time with this because you do not need to "love" something to do it.

How many of you would propose a new business initiative to corporate America and say we should do this because of love or passion. Business is emotionless. It is what American capitalism is based on. I don't like some of it but I understand it and to persuade someone to invest in anything that is a losing proposition is not in their best interest. Do we think any of these pharmacy companies care about patient's health? No, it all boils down to making money off their illness or maybe preventing it. Their mission is to make a profit first and at any cost. Corporate America has embraced the "Greed is good and now it seems its legal" mantra.
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It's hard going to a job every day that you don't love. Been a manager since 2000 and I do not think I could have made it that long if I didn't love what I do.

All these people come here complaining every day. That takes a toll on a person
 
If you already hate life, hating life and making 170/yr pre-tax isn't so bad

I do enjoy mentally torturing people though so that blunts the stupidity of retail
 
JustFillIt said:
At some point I just would not take a pharmacy job. People get so hyper focused on pharmacy - like it’s the only job they can get.

I would just get a different type of job. Hell I can lay carpet for more than 40 bucks per hour.
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Floors are expensive! It cost us around 25k to demo old tile, remove carpet, and install new wood floors. Got multiple quotes and they were all around that price range.
 
Sine Cura said:
If you already hate life, hating life and making 170/yr pre-tax isn't so bad

I do enjoy mentally torturing people though so that blunts the stupidity of retail
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No new grad is making 170k/year. They are getting offered 60k/year now.
 
mentos said:
No new grad is making 170k/year. They are getting offered 60k/year now.
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It would be hard going to a job where you get paid a third of what you used to get. I'd rather just NEET and live off 15k/yr

Wags is the biggest beneficiary of the retail expansion left on these forums so easy for him to say he doesn't "not love" what he does
 
WVUPharm2007 said:
You can?! Can you point me in the direction I go? When I inevitably get axed from my $67/hr golden handcuffs job I got right now, I'd love to that rather than pharmacy.
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You can charge whatever you want if you work for yourself. Costs $25k for new floors on my area 'cause that's what people pay.
 
steveysmith54 said:
I bet if we poll most new grads, the average RPh starts with 24-32 guaranteed hours at 50 dollars an hour.
Looking at $62,400 to $83,200.
Also, from what i hear, 20% of new grads are doing residencies and we all know how that can pan out.

but hey at least, one of the top pharm schools, UCSF, converted their program into a 3 year program.
Click to expand...

Yikes. There are any number of jobs I would rather do than pharmacy at that price range. I could probably clear 60k doing office drone or IT work with minimal additional education, maybe just a certification here and there.

owlegrad said:
Do plumbers know how much carpet installers make?!
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Do you know how many a patent clerk makes?!
 
WVUPharm2007 said:
You can?! Can you point me in the direction I go? When I inevitably get axed from my $67/hr golden handcuffs job I got right now, I'd love to that rather than pharmacy.
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Absolutely - typical professional handyman rate is approximately 50 bucks an hour. In fact, most services which you contract out will come in around 50/hour. I had a computer technician come out to my house last week and help me with my home network and I was charged 55/hr.

The trick is not charging that much, it is actually being able to bill for 40 hours/week. If the work is not available then you are screwed.

Laying carpet is just one example. I used this example because I know how to do it.
 
gwarm01 said:
Yikes. There are any number of jobs I would rather do than pharmacy at that price range. I could probably clear 60k doing office drone or IT work with minimal additional education, maybe just a certification here and there.



Do you know how many a patent clerk makes?!
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A disel mechanic earns $41/hr without student loans according to Dr.Shaw.
 
JustFillIt said:
Absolutely - typical professional handyman rate is approximately 50 bucks an hour. In fact, most services which you contract out will come in around 50/hour. I had a computer technician come out to my house last week and help me with my home network and I was charged 55/hr.

The trick is not charging that much, it is actually being able to bill for 40 hours/week. If the work is not available then you are screwed.

Laying carpet is just one example. I used this example because I know how to do it.
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It's hard just to get any contractor to show up. Covid-19 has not slowed down their work at all. Many are booked for months out and they all charge absurd prices because people pay.

I just got a quote to have the interior of my house painted - $5700. That's only the first floor... If I decide not to go through then the guy won't even sweat it cause he has bigger jobs to do.
 
JustFillIt said:
Absolutely - typical professional handyman rate is approximately 50 bucks an hour. In fact, most services which you contract out will come in around 50/hour. I had a computer technician come out to my house last week and help me with my home network and I was charged 55/hr.

The trick is not charging that much, it is actually being able to bill for 40 hours/week. If the work is not available then you are screwed.

Laying carpet is just one example. I used this example because I know how to do it.
Click to expand...

Add another option to the list when it all goes to ****, I guess. I could be a computer tech guy.
 
need walgreens new hires to comment their actual offers... but seriously tho $40 an hour? how many pharmacists will actually stand for this
 
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