Mass Walmart layoffs? Tech/Rph/RxM?

[Niceguy90]

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Is this true? That Walmart is letting go of thousands of H&W positions including RxM, Rphs, Techs? Is this nationwide? 😕 https://www.thelayoff.com/t/ZIIsPn5?fbclid=IwAR2B25UcF8vfz4A9AizTsko0cBjVkaQOe0nPix7bkgKjLVCbwYSQT9yzUCU

 

[King2440]

Yes it’s true, it’s worse than I initially thought. However, more importantly, you posted in the wrong forum!

 

[WVUPharm2007]

Yes it’s true, it’s worse than I initially thought. However, more importantly, you posted in the wrong forum!

The forum everyone forgets exists, just like I told the maudes they would?

 

[King2440]

The forum everyone forgets exists, just like I told the maudes they would?

; just giving the mods a hard time lol. More importantly, I don’t see how I still apply to pharmacy school with this type of news from a major retailer. The folks that got laid off had the drive and love for pharmacy as well. Sad part is that it probably is just getting started.

 

[Sine Cura]

Imagine what would happen during an official recession after a market crash. LOL

They cut PCSMs, techs, clerks, but I don't know if managers or staff pharmacists got affected in my area but it's hard to get a feel for the extent of the cuts based on your immediate market

 

[mentos]

Don't worry, the mods will move this to the hidden job market forum so no one sees it.

 

[CardinalGirl210]

Imagine what would happen during an official recession after a market crash. LOL

They cut PCSMs, techs, clerks, but I don't know if managers or staff pharmacists got affected in my area but it's hard to get a feel for the extent of the cuts based on your immediate market

No one was safe...some PICs were also laid off.

 

[Gombrich12]

Don't worry, the mods will move this to the hidden job market forum so no one sees it.

Remember prepharms if it's not in the job market forum it didn't happen.

 

[Sine Cura]

Walmart didn't just "displace people." Pharmacist and tech hours are also getting reduced also to match the layoffs. Walmart is obviously not going to hire more people unless required to make up for cuts (fired managers maybe for ****ty locations).

 

[BMBiology]

This is a good way to force pharmacists to take a pay cut. Fire them and force them to reapply for a new position and therefore, accepting a lower rate with no benefits.

 

[BMBiology]

Oh perfect timing too...just when new graduates are about to get license

 

[projektreverb]

This is a good way to force pharmacists to take a pay cut. Fire them and force them to reapply for a new position and therefore, accepting a lower rate with no benefits.

I know someone who just retired and wanted to work prn/ a couple of days a month. In order to cash in his retirement benefits with the company (he’s that old with them) he has to retire, claim his benefits and reapply in 30 days as a brand new employee. Fill in the blanks as to what the company is trying to do.

 

[projektreverb]

So apparently this isn’t the first time they do this. Look at reddit threads in ‘17 and ‘18.

 

[Dred Pirate]

I know someone who just retired and wanted to work prn/ a couple of days a month. In order to cash in his retirement benefits with the company (he’s that old with them) he has to retire, claim his benefits and reapply in 30 days as a brand new employee. Fill in the blanks as to what the company is trying to do.

that is very common at the hospital I work at - not just rph's

 

[TheBlaah]

I know someone who just retired and wanted to work prn/ a couple of days a month. In order to cash in his retirement benefits with the company (he’s that old with them) he has to retire, claim his benefits and reapply in 30 days as a brand new employee. Fill in the blanks as to what the company is trying to do.

I think that's just policy as I've seen that as well. Probably so that the prn hours don't get calculated towards retirement benefits, for better or worse.

 

[projektreverb]

that is very common at the hospital I work at - not just rph's

I think that's just policy as I've seen that as well. Probably so that the prn hours don't get calculated towards retirement benefits, for better or worse.

Interesting. I thought there was something else at play.

 

[jc1979]

What is the severance payout?

 

[Dred Pirate]

Interesting. I thought there was something else at play.

Where I often see it is somebody wants to just work part time/semi retire. You can collect your pension, but only if you quit/retire - you can't drop your hours and collect your pension. If you do it this way, you get to collect your pension, work part time hours, and often make nearly as much as you did before you quit depending on how your pension works.

 

[SoylentGreen]

I haven't been able to find anything about how they chose who to let go. Previously they let go of the newest cashiers and newest flexers but that does not appear to be the case this time.

I also don't get how they can lay off a pharmacy manager. You have to have one, so how can it be a layoff if you're just going to hire another one right away? I thought layoffs meant there was no work for the person. Isn't that more like firing for performance?

The whole reason I have not tried to step down as PIC is to avoid getting laid off, and now this?

 

[Prepharm1214]

What is the severance payout?

In August of last year's mass layoff it was 60 days worth of pay from what i gathered on reddit

 

[JustFillIt]

In August of last year's mass layoff it was 60 days worth of pay from what i gathered on reddit

Well that’s great... I got laid off this year with zero dollar severance. Thank goodness for cryptocurrency

 

[mentos]

I haven't been able to find anything about how they chose who to let go. Previously they let go of the newest cashiers and newest flexers but that does not appear to be the case this time.

I also don't get how they can lay off a pharmacy manager. You have to have one, so how can it be a layoff if you're just going to hire another one right away? I thought layoffs meant there was no work for the person. Isn't that more like firing for performance?

The whole reason I have not tried to step down as PIC is to avoid getting laid off, and now this?

Current PICs are pulling in $60+/hr. They can get a new one for $40-50/hr.

 

[Dred Pirate]

In August of last year's mass layoff it was 60 days worth of pay from what i gathered on reddit

ugh - that truly sucks - at least when I heard about local layoffs in industry it was one month for every year of service - although if you are a new employee - that doesn't amount to much. Have the published any sort of nationwide total numbers of people by position? likely not.

 

[Dred Pirate]

Current PICs are pulling in $60+/hr. They can get a new one for $40-50/hr.

the problem is if you do that it is a firing, not a layoff - a firing requires a heck of a lot more paperwork to ensure you are doing it for cause according to policy. With a layoff - you have to eliminate positions - now if you simply lay off the newest hires, and the newest hire happens to be a PIC -you can get away with it. Example - you have 4 rph's, the newest RPh is the PIC. You reduce the store to 3 RPh's, the PIC is let go, and someone is "promoted to PIC" - but you can't call it a layoff if you let the PIC go and simply replace them.

 

[SoylentGreen]

Current PICs are pulling in $60+/hr. They can get a new one for $40-50/hr.

I understand the motive to do it, but I would think they would nitpick you and write you up to get rid of you. I was worried about that since I am on the high end of the pto/pay scale but I never worried about layoffs until now.

 

[SoylentGreen]

the problem is if you do that it is a firing, not a layoff - a firing requires a heck of a lot more paperwork to ensure you are doing it for cause according to policy. With a layoff - you have to eliminate positions - now if you simply lay off the newest hires, and the newest hire happens to be a PIC -you can get away with it. Example - you have 4 rph's, the newest RPh is the PIC. You reduce the store to 3 RPh's, the PIC is let go, and someone is "promoted to PIC" - but you can't call it a layoff if you let the PIC go and simply replace them.

Maybe but from what I'm hearing that's not what's going on here. There are reports of people who have been with the company for many years getting laid off.

Maybe if you did it literally at random you could get away with it. You could argue in court that it would be fair and non-discriminatory, but in reality it would get rid of older, more highly paid staff (since those are the ones you currently have) and replace them with younger, lower paid staff (since those are the ones you would hire). Maybe hire a few desparate middle aged pharmacists at 2019 new grad salaries to make it look better.

 

[lord999]

the problem is if you do that it is a firing, not a layoff - a firing requires a heck of a lot more paperwork to ensure you are doing it for cause according to policy. With a layoff - you have to eliminate positions - now if you simply lay off the newest hires, and the newest hire happens to be a PIC -you can get away with it. Example - you have 4 rph's, the newest RPh is the PIC. You reduce the store to 3 RPh's, the PIC is let go, and someone is "promoted to PIC" - but you can't call it a layoff if you let the PIC go and simply replace them.

Yeah, but Walmart is well-known for illegal terminations, such that they already figure in the costs of lawsuits and renumeration into those plans. McKinsey and Deloitte does that as part of their workforce rightsizing service. Working on a project once, it's easier to manage than across-the-board paycuts with respect to productivity.

That said, in most states, as long as the layoff did not target age or protected designations, you cannot do a thing as private sector companies are allowed to set their compensation policies.

 

[Sine Cura]

I bet if you look at states with low tech to pharmacist ratios, you'll notice relatively fewer pharmacists in those states got **** canned as Walmart appears to be looking to cutting all pharmacist overlap. Less feasible to do that in California due to mandatory OT

California's tech ratio is 2n-1 to n (n = number of pharmacists). If you cut overlap you have only one tech filler. Of course the pharmacist can fill too (even at the busier CVS like 2k or more a week, the single pharmacist always stands at the QV station... don't see them do much filling) but good luck getting interrupted every 20 seconds for B.S. counseling

 

[deleted885753]

Reckon what we just witnessed was the tip of the iceberg of what is about to come. When Wag/ CVS started cutting hours, they kept reducing it every year. That's just how it is.

WM will keep doing this every year until vast majority of $60/ hour rphs are replaced by $35/ hr new grads. After all, if they fire all the older pharmacists at once, that would be too much uproar.

That's the reason why they have brought Sean Slovenski on board. The guy has certain reputation and track-record. He has done this everywhere he has gone.

 

[MSerforfun]

It's only 500 + pharmacists. It's not that of a big number.

 

[mentos]

I bet if you look at states with low tech to pharmacist ratios, you'll notice relatively fewer pharmacists in those states got **** canned as Walmart appears to be looking to cutting all pharmacist overlap. Less feasible to do that in California due to mandatory OT

California's tech ratio is 2n-1 to n (n = number of pharmacists). If you cut overlap you have only one tech filler. Of course the pharmacist can fill too (even at the busier CVS like 2k or more a week, the single pharmacist always stands at the QV station... don't see them do much filling) but good luck getting interrupted every 20 seconds for B.S. counseling

2k is not a busy CVS.

 

[pencilandpen]

2k is not a busy CVS.

I float around a lot, everyone who does more than 10 scripts per hour thinks they are "busy" and complains about it lol

 

[WVUPharm2007]

I float around a lot, everyone who does more than 10 scripts per hour thinks they are "busy" and complains about it lol

I've always said that everyone should have to work at least one shift at a true high volume (5000+/week) store. Just to see what true madness looks like. I was at a store one time that had a triple-digit hour. I thought I was going to be buried under a pile of white bags. The store had a woman that just did drive thru. That was her job. She had picture of her kids up at the window like it was her office space. It's all she did, M-F. And it never stopped. Ever. There was always a next car in line. Like...people SAY "the drive thru didn't stop once" all the time. But really there are always times when it stops. This jawn literally DID NOT STOP. I was amazed.

 

[deleted885753]

But those stores are few and far between anyways. In a large chains like CVS / Wag with 9000+ stores, they might have 8 or 10 stores (if that) that would be doing that volume.

 

[WVUPharm2007]

But those stores are few and far between anyways. In a large chains like CVS / Wag with 9000+ stores, they might have 8 or 10 stores (if that) that would be doing that volume.

There are like 4 just in Philly. I've worked at two of them. (G Street/Hunting Park + Harbison off the Blvd)

 

[deleted885753]

There are like 4 just in Philly. I've worked at two of them. (G Street/Hunting Park + Harbison off the Blvd)

I see. That area must be an anomaly then. I have worked all over my state and often speak to CVS rphs about their volume but I have never heard of single store doing that volume. Couple of stores doing 4000 but never 5000/ week mark.

Mind you 4000 is still pretty crazy volume.

 

[footfairy]

I've always said that everyone should have to work at least one shift at a true high volume (5000+/week) store. Just to see what true madness looks like. I was at a store one time that had a triple-digit hour. I thought I was going to be buried under a pile of white bags. The store had a woman that just did drive thru. That was her job. She had picture of her kids up at the window like it was her office space. It's all she did, M-F. And it never stopped. Ever. There was always a next car in line. Like...people SAY "the drive thru didn't stop once" all the time. But really there are always times when it stops. This jawn literally DID NOT STOP. I was amazed.

I've done shifts in an acquired independent that did 600-750 on weekdays but was only 9am-7pm and honestly it was an awesome store. The chain hadnt fully cut help to the bone so there was about 60 tech hours and 2 all day pharmacists each weekday.

Definitely helped shape my expectations of workload and task management.

Then the chain cut the help, put restrictions on delivery, ect. Now it does a solid 300-400 per weekday, but at least pay role is down!

 

[right500]

The Wags I spent the most time at as an intern was a 24 hour store across from an ED that filled over a thousand scripts on Saturdays. Let's do the math: 200 scripts third shift (25/hr), and 800+ scripts over first and second shifts (50+/hr) is not that crazy with automation and three competent techs. But giving flu shots would wreck the workflow (the advantage of an intern in place of a tech). There are extremes between low-volume loss leaders for the front-store on the low end (think grocery store model) and high-volume major money makers at the other end.

 

[Dred Pirate]

The Wags I spent the most time at as an intern was a 24 hour store across from an ED that filled over a thousand scripts on Saturdays. Let's do the math: 200 scripts third shift (25/hr), and 800+ scripts over first and second shifts (50+/hr) is not that crazy with automation and three competent techs. But giving flu shots would wreck the workflow (the advantage of an intern in place of a tech). There are extremes between low-volume loss leaders for the front-store on the low end (think grocery store model) and high-volume major money makers at the other end.

I moon lighted at a store like this and loved it - my day went by so fast - it was like a well oiled machine (this was 8 years ago before RPh's did flu shots) - we had a script pro. One tech typed, one ran the register, and One filled. I stood in one place and just verified Rx's - was a pretty sweet set up. If you had bad techs - the place would suck balls

 

[pharmacystudent1011]

Our store does 5k/week in the Greater Philly area. It's only good if you have good techs otherwise it's a sunken ship everyday.

 

[ericn2k3]

There are like 4 just in Philly. I've worked at two of them. (G Street/Hunting Park + Harbison off the Blvd)

Can't really lump Harbison and G street. Harbison stands on it own with still >7k Rx/week while G. Street is barely making 5k/week now. It may be due to the summer slowness but they're volume have dropped by a good amount...not meeting script budget.

 

[BMBiology]

It is no longer a question:

 

[WVUPharm2007]

Can't really lump Harbison and G street. Harbison stands on it own with still >7k Rx/week while G. Street is barely making 5k/week now. It may be due to the summer slowness but they're volume have dropped by a good amount...not meeting script budget.

Probably for the best. That place is about 2/3 as wide as most CVS pharmacies and the employees are constantly bumping and running into each other because it's so cramped. I imagine it's pretty comical to watch from the waiting room. The physical floor plan of that place should really only be handling like 2000 scripts at most.