paying back walgreens scholarship

[gradpharm2010]

Hi,

I took a progressive scholarship from walgreens and worked as a pharmacist for 1 month. After only getting a guarantee 32 hours of work, I switched jobs. I just got a letter from them saying I owe them money for the scholarship I got, however, in the terms of agreement, we were suppose to be hired as full time.

Secondly, I just found out there was a new policy by walgreens that forgave loans to 2010 grads who were given partime or reduced full time positions. When I called to clarify this, they told me that this did not apply to me because I was not a grad intern when they made this rule for 2010 pharmacist (however, i did graduate then).

And Finally, they told me I accepted my offer to become a pharmacist for walgreens in November of 2009 and per policy, I was not eligible. I didn't accept until April 2010 and I've also never heard of this.

My friends who were hired on as reduced hours have not received this letter. Can someone give me advice on this matter? Something seems off and I need to take further action but wanted advice before doing so.

Thank you

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[CynicalIntern]

I can't speak for the last two points, but for the first one, Walgreens considers 32 hours to be full-time per benefits package. So they complied with their portion of the contract.

 

[gradpharm2010]

I can't speak for the last two points, but for the first one, Walgreens considers 32 hours to be full-time per benefits package. So they complied with their portion of the contract.

thanks for the reply. the district office told me full time was >38 hours. that's why I was confused.

Also, what happened to those students who weren't offered a job at walgreens..did they have to pay back?

 

[DustinfromCA]

I am thinking of accepting a walgreens Rph position. Can I ask what area of the country are you in?

My PDM told me that pharmacists in my district are not guaranteed 40 hours / week if hired full-time, but I asked her if I was flexible and very willing to float and work different shifts I could probably get 40 hours/week. Did you find this to be true?

Thanks!

 

[blueclassring]

Don't believe anything these recruiters tell you. Their job is to fill positions with people. Their job isn't to get you 40 hours per week, as much as we would like. Just realize that going into your new job. If you can get it in writing then do so, but I don't know what good it will do if there is no way to enforce it.

 

[DustinfromCA]

Don't believe anything these recruiters tell you. Their job is to fill positions with people. Their job isn't to get you 40 hours per week, as much as we would like. Just realize that going into your new job. If you can get it in writing then do so, but I don't know what good it will do if there is no way to enforce it.

Well I was actually speaking to the Pharmacy District manager. So she told me "most likely" i'll be getting 40/wk, but I was still a little apprehensive..

 

[genesis09]

32 hours is full time per Walgreens, in terms of benefits. In fact, 30 hours is considered full-time.
The issue is that you switched jobs before the required time period is up.

 

[lltpharmd]

I'm a Walgreens scholarship student who just graduated in December from an Oklahoma school and moved up to Illinois. There were no positions available in IL....does anyone know if I will have to pay back the funds??? Does anybody know of positions available in the Southwest Burbs of Chicago? thanks in advance!

 

[CynicalIntern]

I'm a Walgreens scholarship student who just graduated in December from an Oklahoma school and moved up to Illinois. There were no positions available in IL....does anyone know if I will have to pay back the funds??? Does anybody know of positions available in the Southwest Burbs of Chicago? thanks in advance!

Per the agreement, they will attempt to place you in your preferred district/region, but are under no obligation to. They have every ability to say you have to move to Wyoming or pay us back.

 

[pinkdog]

Has anyone been asked for the money back yet?

I know several people who took the scholarship, including myself, but none of us work for Walgreens now. No of us have been contacted about giving the money back though...

Per the agreement, they will attempt to place you in your preferred district/region, but are under no obligation to. They have every ability to say you have to move to Wyoming or pay us back.

 

[DYSF777]

Has anyone been asked for the money back yet?

I know several people who took the scholarship, including myself, but none of us work for Walgreens now. No of us have been contacted about giving the money back though...

I'm fairly certain that they will send a letter asking for the funds to be repaid. So if you had a change of address then I would be on top of that. Also, if memory serves correctly they will add an additional 8% per year if not paid within a month.

 

[PharmStud86]

It looks like I'm about 4 years too late to help with this matter - but I'm currently in a similar situation. I graduated in 2012 from pharmacy school. I've been with Walgreens for about 6 years and hoped to stay aboard with them, so I applied for the pharmacy education assistance program (PEAP) with the intentions of working for them. My understanding is that they REQUIRE that I work for them after graduation - which would work out for me at the time. However, during my graduation year, they weren't hiring many candidates and being from Chicago, IL - the market was pretty saturated. Also, it was around the same time that WAGs and ExpressScripts couldn't agree and many express script patients were transferred to the competitors.

Bottom line - I applied to become a pharmacist with walgreens 6 months prior to graduation. Was told they were on a hiring freeze and could only hire 2 pharmacists that year. So I went on ahead and applied for residency out of state. Heard nothing from them until 6 months+ into my residency for a job interview (not even a job offer) with a limited time window that requires me to go back home. Now I've completed a year of residency and 5 months into my new job at a hospital. I just received an e-mail from Walgreens saying that I did not comply with the terms of a contract and they'd like me to pay them back. Has anyone dealt with this issue? Is it worth fighting? Anyone lawyer up for this?

 

[BMBiology]

How much money are we talking here?

Just note never accept any "scholarship" without specific terms. The chains have these programs including sign on bonuses not to recruit new pharmacists but to force them to stay longer than they wanted to or to work where they don't want to work.

 

[Wheresmyaricept]

It's something stupid like 2500 dollars and for every 1000 you accept you owe like 1.5 years of service to them.

 

[Amicable Angora]

It looks like I'm about 4 years too late to help with this matter - but I'm currently in a similar situation. I graduated in 2012 from pharmacy school. I've been with Walgreens for about 6 years and hoped to stay aboard with them, so I applied for the pharmacy education assistance program (PEAP) with the intentions of working for them. My understanding is that they REQUIRE that I work for them after graduation - which would work out for me at the time. However, during my graduation year, they weren't hiring many candidates and being from Chicago, IL - the market was pretty saturated. Also, it was around the same time that WAGs and ExpressScripts couldn't agree and many express script patients were transferred to the competitors.

Bottom line - I applied to become a pharmacist with walgreens 6 months prior to graduation. Was told they were on a hiring freeze and could only hire 2 pharmacists that year. So I went on ahead and applied for residency out of state. Heard nothing from them until 6 months+ into my residency for a job interview (not even a job offer) with a limited time window that requires me to go back home. Now I've completed a year of residency and 5 months into my new job at a hospital. I just received an e-mail from Walgreens saying that I did not comply with the terms of a contract and they'd like me to pay them back. Has anyone dealt with this issue? Is it worth fighting? Anyone lawyer up for this?

If you have friends in law, give it a shot.

If you don't know anyone, you'll probably waste a lot of money.