Publix.... or CVS?

[rxfx09]

From reading the threads here it seems like a no- brainer.. But CVS is offering me close to $27k more a year.... Publix seems to have better benefits, not to mention no drive thru, less Rx volume, less stress from mgmt plus every pharmacist I interviewed there loves it... But I'm still fairly young, no kids etc so I guess I can handle the extra stress and $27k? Geez.. Is Publix worth the pay cut? I'm also afraid I might not get the offer back with Publix if I go the CVS route. Anyone work for both companies or a grocery/major retail care to chime in.. thanks

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[pharmdinfl]

I, personally, would opt for the job with less stress and one with the more pleasant work environment (so far, I've never heard anyone say how much they love their drive-through!). I would think maybe the reason CVS might be paying that much more is because they have a harder time enticing pharmacists to work there as opposed to Publix.

 

[Caverject]

It's up to you but I would talk a 30k pay cut to work for publix...then again i took a paycut to leave publix and join the military

 

[rxlynn]

From reading the threads here it seems like a no- brainer.. But CVS is offering me close to $27k more a year.... Publix seems to have better benefits, not to mention no drive thru, less Rx volume, less stress from mgmt plus every pharmacist I interviewed there loves it... But I'm still fairly young, no kids etc so I guess I can handle the extra stress and $27k? Geez.. Is Publix worth the pay cut? I'm also afraid I might not get the offer back with Publix if I go the CVS route. Anyone work for both companies or a grocery/major retail care to chime in.. thanks

Would you be willing to tell us what state you are in? That seems like a really large difference to me. Was the CVS offer for a specific store? (i.e. maybe they are having problems staffing it because the store is so bad??)

 

[PMart]

What made my decision for me was #1 With Publix I get 7 holidays off #2 I get paid weekly #3 Awesome holiday and other bonuses #4 NO drive thru #5 I can actually take the time to talk with patients, My schedule rocks I work 5 days 1 week and only 2 the next with every other Fri, Sat, Sun off. Yes I make less money but I am super happy where I am at, I am however older with kids, husband etc. so this works well for me. I know it is a tough decision good luck

PMart

 

[Doctor M]

Good lord, go with publix. Look, I work for CVS and the only reason i stay with them is because I am established there and have a huge client relationship. If I didnt have such a great relationship with the patients I would be out. I almost left CVS last march for about 20k less base pay, but factor in the bonus and holiday pay it cuts the difference in half. No drive thru! I for one hate it with all my heart. Go publix my friend.

 

[Chickenpharm]

Things have changed drastically at Publix....be careful as hours for Rphs have been cut starting Jan 1. Not the Publix that we have loved to work for , sorry to say.
We WERE the best.

 

[Doctor M]

Things have changed drastically at Publix....be careful as hours for Rphs have been cut starting Jan 1. Not the Publix that we have loved to work for , sorry to say.
We WERE the best.

Its has to be better than the alternative...

 

[Caverject]

Things have changed drastically at Publix....be careful as hours for Rphs have been cut starting Jan 1. Not the Publix that we have loved to work for , sorry to say.
We WERE the best.

please share...im interested in knowing whats up since i'm a stock holder....what area are the layoffs happening at?

 

[Chickenpharm]

Only aware of Jax Div...sounds similar to what WAGs is doing....only 2 Rphs per store (doing away with part timers and the implementation of our version of POWER...Named ENTERPRISE RX.)

 

[asmaabadr]

LONG HOURS,NO TECH HELP,toooooo much customer service ,I mean people are seriously spoiled( A customer was asking me to call his doctor not to ask for refills or not to switch his rx to something else but to ask him if he should still take a certain medication or not!!!)
I mean it happened at a certain time that we were required to clean the bathroom!!I mean come on people take a couple of bucks on me and get a cleaning service !
But to put the emotions away
1.I dont know publix
2.I work in a medium flow store 250-300 rx a day so you dont get a lot of help,so you are not a slow store to actually take a breath and your are not a super busy to get lots of help.
3.CVS lately rquires soooo much paper work so you will be swimming in paperwork every morning and every night(I m sure it is every where though).
4.I m still here because I love my customers and my coworkers ,they are the best.BUT there are so many times when you have to be by yourself for 1,2 or 3 hours a day(because they are saving on tech hours which is almost 7.70 cents an hour but I can give one of customers 200$ worth of gist cards in 1 day!!)
My 2 cents hopefully it helps.

 

[rxfx09]

Thanks for your responses guys! I have decided to stay with Publix.. My offer with CVS expired yesterday so hopefully it was the right decision! Chickenpharm, I would really like to know more about ENTERPRISERX? Even if it's a call center, with only 2 RPh's per store, I don't see how it can possibly hurt.

 

[esrodems]

I can comment on Publix because I currently work there as an intern. This is in Savannah but I believe is true for all Publix pharmacies. There will be less tech/intern hours available as of Jan 1. I forget what the actual number is but for example if we get say 7 tech hours for every 100 Rx we do now we are only going to get 6 tech hrs/100 Rx. These arent the numbers just an example. Also I know benefits are changing. This will only effect part-time employees. Previously Publix allowed a person to get health benefits for only working 20 hrs/wk but not they've increased it to 30 hrs/wk. Im not sure how this is going to impact our PT pharmacists who are now willing to work the 30 hrs to keep their benefits because it's not like there are just extra pharmacist hours floating around. I'll keep y'all posted as I learn anything new.

 

[Caverject]

Only aware of Jax Div...sounds similar to what WAGs is doing....only 2 Rphs per store (doing away with part timers and the implementation of our version of POWER...Named ENTERPRISE RX.)

my friend, publix has been doing this for many many years. (I got 10 years in the company) this is nothing new. So the moral of the story is, the sky is not falling...it's business as usual. Publix is still one of the best retail pharmacies to work for.

 

[TCB]

I have a job offer at CVS, and I am not signing with them, though the money is very appealing... you all making sound like CVS is the devil LOL.
If I decide to work retail, I am staying with Walmart or working for Safeway. Does anybody knows anything about safeway ? yeah I know, is beyond the scope of this thread.

 

[esrodems]

I agree, I also love working for Publix! I also have never worked for another retail pharmacy so I can't compare the two, but I hear horror stories about other chains.

 

[MountainPharmD]

I have a job offer at CVS, and I am not signing with them, though the money is very appealing... you all making sound like CVS is the devil LOL.
If I decide to work retail, I am staying with Walmart or working for Safeway. Does anybody knows anything about safeway ? yeah I know, is beyond the scope of this thread.

Safeway is no better than CVS and in some respects worse....

 

[TCB]

Safeway is no better than CVS and in some respects worse....

wow, thanks for the info !

 

[bigpharmD]

As a pharmacist married to a pharmacist who worked for CVS and quit to take a job making $20,000 less...I would definately recommend taking the publix job...its not worth the money unless you live and work at a cvs in a small town

 

[Chickenpharm]

my friend, publix has been doing this for many many years. (I got 10 years in the company) this is nothing new. So the moral of the story is, the sky is not falling...it's business as usual. Publix is still one of the best retail pharmacies to work for.

Totally agree with you that Publix is the best.....just that the new guidelines for hours sucks....if you are in a seriously busy store you will have hours cut....definitely not like the good ole days.

 

[loo]

Safeway is no better than CVS and in some respects worse....

To clarify:

Crappy computer system (PDX, I think..), crappy tech hours, and low morale. A buddy of mine in MD has just left due to these issues.

Guess it depends on the area you're looking at.

 

[TCB]

Thanks for the clarification ! at least CVS is switching to rx2000

To clarify:

Crappy computer system (PDX, I think..), crappy tech hours, and low morale. A buddy of mine in MD has just left due to these issues.

Guess it depends on the area you're looking at.

 

[meister]

RX2000 is CVS's current system. I don't remember the name of the one they're supposedly going to roll-out in the next couple of years.

 

[loo]

Funny...I can't remember it either!*

We won't be getting it for a while due to CVS's recent acquisition of Longs. Also, they're working on the glitches that have come up in the pilot stores. It's still the same old system...just more add-ons and patch fixes.

 

[rxlynn]

RX2000 is CVS's current system. I don't remember the name of the one they're supposedly going to roll-out in the next couple of years.

Rx Connect - I talked with a pharmacist last night who already has the new system. Once they are converted they can't "see" the old system complete info., so I was having to give her a prescription over the phone. Unfortunately I didn't get a chance to ask how she liked it.

 

[ArloDoc]

I am a pharmacy tech at a CVS pilot store for the RxConnect system. It is terrible! The system is slow, the search functions don't work and the customers think we are incompetent because it takes so long just to look someone (doctor, customer) up in the computer. I really hope they get someof the kinks out and get it going faster before they launch it in any more stores.

 

[OHPharmd08]

Does anyone have an opinion on Giant Eagle? It is a grocery store chain like Publix but in OH, WV, and PA. Thanks.