Offer letter.

[NAPLEXON]

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I need some help from the gurus here. I was an intern and I just got an offer letter from Walgreens and there are some terms that I want to make sure they are not weird. It stated that they can terminate my work with or without a cause at any time according to the company business needs!

Is that normal?

 

[xiphoid2010]

I need some help from the gurus here. I was an intern and I just got an offer letter from Walgreens and there are some terms that I want to make sure they are not weird. It stated that they can terminate my work with or without a cause at any time according to the company business needs!

Is that normal?

Yeah, pretty normal. Most jobs in this country are "at will", which means either side can end it without any liability. It cuts both ways: the employer is free to fire you, and you are free to quit.

 

[Musculus]

Like xiphoid said, I would say this is pretty typical. its generally referred to as 'at will employment'

 

[rph3664]

I need some help from the gurus here. I was an intern and I just got an offer letter from Walgreens and there are some terms that I want to make sure they are not weird. It stated that they can terminate my work with or without a cause at any time according to the company business needs!

Is that normal?

Welcome to the real world.

If the wrong person crosses your path, they can destroy your career. Ask me how I know this.

 

[confettiflyer]

Yup, completely normal and standard. You can leave as you see fit, they can let you go as they see fit.

If you want a job where it's difficult/virtually impossible to fire you, look for government work.

 

[MShopes]

Yah but don't they need to give you a notice in advance so that you can be ready and start looking for a new job?

 

[Its Z]

Yah but don't they need to give you a notice in advance so that you can be ready and start looking for a new job?

And 1 year worth of severance package?

 

[joetrisman]

Welcome to the real world.

If the wrong person crosses your path, they can destroy your career. Ask me how I know this.

How do you know this? 😛

 

[joetrisman]

To the OP, I'd honestly take up any offer that you can other than Wags at this point. As I'm sure you know, they have expanded what are STARS worthy offenses as of late, cut and re-cut hours, and are adding new metrics like they are going out of style. Not exactly the epitome of stability if you feel me. I'm really interested to see what the tight lipped big wig news is from the vegas meeting. Supposedly the corporate guys are touring the country to meet with all the dxm and rxms to deliver news in person.

 

[confettiflyer]

Yah but don't they need to give you a notice in advance so that you can be ready and start looking for a new job?

lol, hahaha...hopefully they'll fire you on a friday so you have all weekend to update your resume.

best advice: keep your resume up to date (revise every 6 months) and maintain your professional networks throughout employment. also, learn to read the signs that you may be given the axe--pay attention to the job market, pharmacy, the financial health of your company, internal changes indicating turmoil, etc...

 

[3boooda]

I need some help from the gurus here. I was an intern and I just got an offer letter from Walgreens and there are some terms that I want to make sure they are not weird. It stated that they can terminate my work with or without a cause at any time according to the company business needs!

Is that normal?

Did they give you an offer as intern or pharmacist?

 

[pezdispenser]

The standard Walgreens severance package for pharmacists is:
4 wks pay if 6 mo - 3 yrs service
2 wks pay/yr service if >3 yrs service.
So if it comes to this, they would probably lay off the least senior people first to save money, especially those with <6 mo.

Employers also play a number of other games to avoid paying severance at all, like firing you (too many mistakes, customer service issues, late to work, violating policy) or pressuring you to quit.

 

[3boooda]

The standard Walgreens severance package for pharmacists is:
4 wks pay if 6 mo - 3 yrs service
2 wks pay/yr service if >3 yrs service.
So if it comes to this, they would probably lay off the least senior people first to save money, especially those with <6 mo.

Employers also play a number of other games to avoid paying severance at all, like firing you (too many mistakes, customer service issues, late to work, violating policy) or pressuring you to quit.

Do they have offers to intern pharmacist? I am intern and the pharmacy that i wok in got bought by walgreens. Will they offer me something?

 

[xiphoid2010]

And 1 year worth of severance package?

Hey! I'm counting on that if my hospital ever gets bought.

To OP:
You'll often get an whiff of the stuff coming down before the laid off begins. If it's downsizing, there is often a small severance package. In a merger/buy-out situation, as a by-product of management buying themselves a golden parachute, the size of severance package can be quite nice. Of course, if you are fired for some reason, zip, zilch, nada.

At any rate, build up an emergency fund should be a top priority for you. It's like carrying a condom -- you rather have one and not need it than need it but not have one, 😉

 

[deleted205891]

Do they have offers to intern pharmacist? I am intern and the pharmacy that i wok in got bought by walgreens. Will they offer me something?

Severence is usually for full-time employees with benefits. I would imagine interns do not get severence packages.

 

[NAPLEXON]

@3boooda
I was offered a pharmacist position.

 

[Brookelyn]

Naplexon, may I ask your general location?

 

[NAPLEXON]

Naplexon, may I ask your general location?

I'm in Oregon. I had to relocate to a rural area to land an offer. Pharmacists should be ready for tough years ahead.

 

[Brookelyn]

Thanks NAPLEXON. Congratulations on your offer! You are the first person I have heard get an offer from Walgreens in recent times. I'm in Pennsylvania, and I too will be relocating to a more rural area for a job post-graduation. I don't know of any single 2012 grad who has had a Walgreens offer around here or anywhere, which is why I was so curious where you were. I hope you enjoy the experience and best of luck!

 

[pharm B]

In a merger/buy-out situation, as a by-product of management buying themselves a golden parachute, the size of severance package can be quite nice. Of course, if you are fired for some reason, zip, zilch, nada.

But when companies like Walgreens and CVS cook up new metrics or enforce impossible goals, resulting in numerous writeups in your file, can't they essentially fire you (or anyone that's not a pharmacy god who can make ALL the numbers work) and never have to pay a severance?

 

[PharmDstudent]

At any rate, build up an emergency fund should be a top priority for you. It's like carrying a condom -- you rather have one and not need it than need it but not have one, 😉

You are married!

 

[xtsukiyox]

But when companies like Walgreens and CVS cook up new metrics or enforce impossible goals, resulting in numerous writeups in your file, can't they essentially fire you (or anyone that's not a pharmacy god who can make ALL the numbers work) and never have to pay a severance?

As long as it isn't because you're in a wheelchair or black, they're golden. 😉

 

[Ackj]

But when companies like Walgreens and CVS cook up new metrics or enforce impossible goals, resulting in numerous writeups in your file, can't they essentially fire you (or anyone that's not a pharmacy god who can make ALL the numbers work) and never have to pay a severance?

From what I understand, you can be fired for absolutely anything. Ever have a patient upset at you? Maybe it's because you legally couldn't fill their CII, maybe their copay went up, whatever. Everyone has had it happen, but I'm sure they could say that is grounds for firing you - poor customer service, maybe. Then there's the catch 22 of too much work to do with not enough time while it's illegal to work off the clock and you're not allowed overtime. Obviously being late is a no brainer. We haven't even talked about meeting metrics yet. Miss any of them by a point and you could have "poor performance" as the reason you're out the door. Would any of these things really happen? Hopefully not, but legally they could be justified in doing them.

 

[Ackj]

As long as it isn't because you're in a wheelchair or black, they're golden. 😉

I wonder about the wheelchair part though, because even if the company makes the required accommodations for you, if you're still not wheeling around fast enough for them, I think they can get you for under-performing. Otherwise you could just sit in a chair and be the laziest SOB around, and be untouchable, and if that loophole existed, I think that would be widely abused.

 

[Ackj]

You are married!

With a child... hence the "need a condom but not have one"

 

[xiphoid2010]

With a child... hence the "need a condom but not have one"

Bwahahaha, you got that right. Nah, we were already engaged when she decided to take herself off the pill. SURPRISE! Happy valentine's day everybody! 😍

 

[xiphoid2010]

But when companies like Walgreens and CVS cook up new metrics or enforce impossible goals, resulting in numerous writeups in your file, can't they essentially fire you (or anyone that's not a pharmacy god who can make ALL the numbers work) and never have to pay a severance?

At the time of the merger? No, usually the "leadership" just haggling over how to get the fattest pay-off on their way out. When Pfizer bought Warner-lambert, people that were laid off were all given a minimum of 6 mo "enhanced severance". Even many who are offered positions took the severance package and went to work for the competitors. Can't blame them, hard to turn down a full year's free pay. 😀

Some of us took the offer to stay on. Yeah, after a while Pfizer turned on increasingly military-like metrics. But they can't really lay you off for not meeting every metrics since most can't. In a wrongful termination case, they have a lot of explaining to do to prove why they had good cause to fire you rather than everyone else. So it's usually cheaper and less risk to shrink the workforce by attrition. So if your goal is just to have a job, then just don't be in the bottom (for long).

 

[xtsukiyox]

I wonder about the wheelchair part though, because even if the company makes the required accommodations for you, if you're still not wheeling around fast enough for them, I think they can get you for under-performing. Otherwise you could just sit in a chair and be the laziest SOB around, and be untouchable, and if that loophole existed, I think that would be widely abused.

Of course. But then it would be because you're not meeting "reasonably accommodated" goals, not because you're in a wheelchair.

 

[Trent Steele]

But when companies like Walgreens and CVS cook up new metrics or enforce impossible goals, resulting in numerous writeups in your file, can't they essentially fire you (or anyone that's not a pharmacy god who can make ALL the numbers work) and never have to pay a severance?

Absolutely. And they often do.

 

[Baddabingo]

Of course. But then it would be because you're not meeting "reasonably accommodated" goals, not because you're in a wheelchair.

Sounds like standard operating procedure for corporate America in any section nowadays.