Walgreens freezes salary

[projektreverb]

This isn't true in hospital pharmacy.

Of course in hospital pharmacy we have the golden gates of residency which causes an artificial limitation on the effect of the increasing numbers of new graduates.

By 2020 I believe hospital pharmacy will start new grad PGY1s at a higher rate than WAG and CVS.

Yes, residency puts a nice limitation on hospital pharmacy. Even then, I think there will be an oversupply of unemployed PGY1s which will change this dynamic. I looked at the 2018 match statistics, just over 3200 people matched for PGY1. Even if you say that only half pursued a hospital/clinical based PGY1 and the others went down the community residency road, are there really 1600 clinical positions freeing up every year? I somehow doubt that.

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[MatCauthon]

This isn't true in hospital pharmacy.

Of course in hospital pharmacy we have the golden gates of residency which causes an artificial limitation on the effect of the increasing numbers of new graduates.

By 2020 I believe hospital pharmacy will start new grad PGY1s at a higher rate than WAG and CVS.

Hospitals adjust their pay to the market rate. If retail is going down, they will adjust to those levels. Also, don't think there is a scarcity of people applying for hospital pharmacist positions. We get 60-100 applicants for each clinical pharmacist job that is posted. Hospitals are under extreme pressure to cut expenses right now, and labor is the easiest expense to cut. Every year the number of residencies expands and the number of applicants is greatly expanding. As people flock out of retail, hospital is going to be even more glutted with applicants. Thus there is no need for hospitals to raise their pay-- quite the opposite is true.

 

[APN-59 rph]

It is sad so many pharmacists have such low self esteem they think a license and a pulse is the only value they contribute. If that is your view than I guess you do have accept whatever crumbs they choose to toss your way. Glad I never viewed myself that way!


Sent from my iPhone using SDN mobile

New age jabbering won't save the newbies........You could be the fastest runner ever..but it won't save you if you run on a freeway...In just my little world I see at least three more installations of video links within a couple of years..if that...

 

[awval999]

Yes, residency puts a nice limitation on hospital pharmacy. Even then, I think there will be an oversupply of unemployed PGY1s which will change this dynamic. I looked at the 2018 match statistics, just over 3200 people matched for PGY1. Even if you say that only half pursued a hospital/clinical based PGY1 and the others went down the community residency road, are there really 1600 clinical positions freeing up every year? I somehow doubt that.

No they will staff the pharmacy in the basement, and they will appreciate it.

 

[awval999]

Hospitals adjust their pay to the market rate. If retail is going down, they will adjust to those levels. Also, don't think there is a scarcity of people applying for hospital pharmacist positions. We get 60-100 applicants for each clinical pharmacist job that is posted. Hospitals are under extreme pressure to cut expenses right now, and labor is the easiest expense to cut. Every year the number of residencies expands and the number of applicants is greatly expanding. As people flock out of retail, hospital is going to be even more glutted with applicants. Thus there is no need for hospitals to raise their pay-- quite the opposite is true.

We don't even interview candidates without hospital experience. So you may have 100 applicants. But if 95 of them are retail it doesn't even matter.

The highest candidates in demand are PGY2 specialists and hospital admin positions.

Furthermore, what I meant wasn't that hospital salaries are going up, I meant that retail salaries are going down and hospital salaries will stay where they are, low $100ks.

 

[projektreverb]

No they will staff the pharmacy in the basement, and they will appreciate it.

Still doubt there are 1600 pharmacist positions in the basement opening up every year.

 

[DOOM N GLOOM]

Still doubt there are 1600 pharmacist positions in the basement opening up every year.

If the BLS is projecting a 6% growth in pharmacy jobs over the next 10 years (17,400 jobs), then it means that approximately 1,740 jobs are created per year. For 1,600/1,740 jobs to be hospital jobs is ridiculous. Something like 500 hospital jobs created per year would be more reasonable.

 

[projektreverb]

If the BLS is projecting a 6% growth in pharmacy jobs over the next 10 years (17,400 jobs), then it means that approximately 1,740 jobs are created per year. For 1,600/1,740 jobs to be hospital jobs is ridiculous. Something like 500 hospital jobs created per year would be more reasonable.

Either way, the number of clinical/ hospital residencies is way more than half of matched residencies. I was severely understating that. So there are a bunch of PGY1 clinical/hospital pharmacists that are ending up unemployed after that golden year of training.

 

[DOOM N GLOOM]

Either way, the number of clinical/ hospital residencies is way more than half of matched residencies. I was severely understating that. So there are a bunch of PGY1 clinical/hospital pharmacists that are ending up unemployed after that golden year of training.

Not to mention that many residencies are scams and don’t teach you anything— instead they are using you as cheap labor to do meaningless work. (Disclaimer: There are obviously residencies that work you hard but you learn a lot as well, these residencies are not what I’m talking about)

Much like how diploma mills with virtually no standards are accepting students to their schools and diluting the quality of education, so is the fact that more and more residencies are springing up and diluting the quality (and meaning) of doing a residency.

 

[projektreverb]

Not to mention that many residencies are scams and don’t teach you anything— instead they are using you as cheap labor to do meaningless work. (Disclaimer: There are obviously residencies that work you hard but you learn a lot as well, these residencies are not what I’m talking about)

Much like how diploma mills with virtually no standards are accepting students to their schools and diluting the quality of education, so is the fact that more and more residencies are springing up and diluting the quality (and meaning) of doing a residency.

100% agree. Honestly, with the way the market is going, my prediction is this: Mandatory PGY1 clinical or community for retail and mandatory PGY2 of some flavor for hospital.

As of now, there aren't enough residencies to support this, but with the current pace of growth, that shouldn't be a problem in ~10 years.

 

[WVUPharm2007]

100% agree. Honestly, with the way the market is going, my prediction is this: Mandatory PGY1 clinical or community for retail and mandatory PGY2 of some flavor for hospital.

As of now, there aren't enough residencies to support this, but with the current pace of growth, that shouldn't be a problem in ~10 years.

They aren't going to require a residency for retail. That would delay and entire class and reduce their increasing leverage in the job market. As long as we don't get them caught up in a lawsuit and can give flu shots, they could give two ****s about our clinical skills in retail.

 

[projektreverb]

They aren't going to require a residency for retail. That would delay and entire class and reduce their increasing leverage in the job market. As long as we don't get them caught up in a lawsuit and can give flu shots, they could give two ****s about our clinical skills in retail.

Let me ask you this: You’ve been on here 15 years, did you ever see the market turning the way it did 15 years ago?

With the overwhelming amount of new grads, and things only getting worst, 1 year of new grads won’t phase them. IF the numbers are correct, and we go off the 18-20% unemployment in 2018, and that trend continues to 5 years, we have enough unemployed pharmacists to fill that years demand.

It’s either that, or the pay keeps tanking.

 

[owlegrad]

WVU is right. Why would retail companies want pharmacists to have residencies? Unless they themselves get into the "exploiting residents" business, which I am frankly shocked that they haven't done already. Teach them new pharmacist grads such invaluable knowledge as how to fill a script in an arbitrarily decided amount of time, enroll people in loyalty cards, and how to increase flu shots year over year.

It’s either that, or the pay keeps tanking.

Well that's what the chains want, so why would they do something to jeopardize that?

 

[wagrxm2000]

This isn't true in hospital pharmacy.

Of course in hospital pharmacy we have the golden gates of residency which causes an artificial limitation on the effect of the increasing numbers of new graduates.

By 2020 I believe hospital pharmacy will start new grad PGY1s at a higher rate than WAG and CVS.

Thank you I needed a good laugh. Hospital is not safe from this oversupply.

Salary could pass retail though assuming retail falls below hospital. It definitely won't be because hospital increases above retail.

It is sad so many pharmacists have such low self esteem they think a license and a pulse is the only value they contribute. If that is your view than I guess you do have accept whatever crumbs they choose to toss your way. Glad I never viewed myself that way!


Sent from my iPhone using SDN mobile

It has nothing to do with low self esteem or what value they contribute. It's the simple fact that there's a new grad that has the exact same skill set and probably more knowledge coming out of school.

To put it simple, if I the great wagrxm2000 walked up to my DM and said we did all this perfectly and even destroyed our script count goal, I think I deserve a raise. The DM will simply say sorry no raises this year and probably ever again.

 

[projektreverb]

WVU is right. Why would retail companies want pharmacists to have residencies? Unless they themselves get into the "exploiting residents" business, which I am frankly shocked that they haven't done already. Teach them new pharmacist grads such invaluable knowledge as how to fill a script in an arbitrarily decided amount of time, enroll people in loyalty cards, and how to increase flu shots year over year.



Well that's what the chains want, so why would they do something to jeopardize that?

But most retail chains have some form of community residency already established. Walgreens, Albertsons/Jewel, CVS, etc all have some program setup in some capacity. What’s to stop them from expanding it and doing exactly what you’ve said?

Teach them new grads how to do that things they should already know. Screw the fact that APPEs and IPPEs are already supposed to do that. It’s literally just pushing the whole pay cut envelope even further.

I don’t know, maybe I’ve just lost my mind today lmao

 

[wagrxm2000]

Not that it should be of any surprise, but no raises this year.

They also talked about the new, lower starting salary but didn't give a rate.

I must say I was surprised that survey scores won't matter anymore.

 

[King2440]

Not that it should be of any surprise, but no raises this year.

They also talked about the new, lower starting salary but didn't give a rate.

I must say I was surprised that survey scores won't matter anymore.

So there is gonna be a big difference between current rphs and new rphs. Not a good thing...

Or are they “restructuring” all rphs ?

 

[wagrxm2000]

So there is gonna be a big difference between current rphs and new rphs. Not a good thing...

Or are they “restructuring” all rphs ?

New hires having a big difference in pay. If I have time today I'll see if I can find a rate.

 

[projektreverb]

Not that it should be of any surprise, but no raises this year.

They also talked about the new, lower starting salary but didn't give a rate.

I must say I was surprised that survey scores won't matter anymore.

So that’s what that conference call is about huh? Good to know.

 

[wagrxm2000]

So that’s what that conference call is about huh? Good to know.

Yeah it's about the current "atmosphere" and performance goals next year.

 

[projektreverb]

Yeah it's about the current "atmosphere" and performance goals next year.

The current “atmosphere”?

 

[M0df]

Our conference call is coming up later today.

So that makes it 3 years in a row of no raises? I would assume they will continue doing that unless stock price recovers. I understand current "atmosphere" leaves little choice in the matter. Is everyone ready to stay at their salary for the next 2-5 years?

 

[wagrxm2000]

Our conference call is coming up later today.

So that makes it 3 years in a row of no raises? I would assume they will continue doing that unless stock price recovers. I understand current "atmosphere" leaves little choice in the matter. Is everyone ready to stay at their salary for the next 2-5 years?

2 to 5 years?

With new hires at lower rates, you are locked at your current salary for probably the rest of your career.

The current “atmosphere”?

Oh you know the usual reimbursement stuff.

 

[BMBiology]

2 to 5 years?

With new hires at lower rates, you are locked at your current salary for probably the rest of your career.


Oh you know the usual reimbursement stuff.

If no pay raise for 4 years and 2.5% inflation then you just took a 10% pay cut.

Is WAG also cutting benefits?

 

[WVUPharm2007]

2 to 5 years?

With new hires at lower rates, you are locked at your current salary for probably the rest of your career.

CVS got me in them golden handcuffs...

 

[waitforit24]

If Walgreens is as evil as I think they are, and I have no reason to believe otherwise, the end days are coming boys and girls. Watch them use the current economic “atmosphere” as a pretext to get rid of pharmacists. These are code words for layoffs and/or position changes. Why keep a pharmacist who has been in the system for 10 years and currently makes 10 dollars an hour more when you can hire a new grad for less and not guarantee them 40 hours? New grads are desperate for jobs so they will take anything they can get.

 

[waitforit24]

If Walgreens is as evil as I think they are, and I have no reason to believe otherwise, the end days are coming boys and girls. Watch them use the current economic “atmosphere” as a pretext to get rid of pharmacists. These are code words for layoffs and/or position changes. Why keep a pharmacist who has been in the system for 10 years and currently makes 10 dollars an hour more when you can hire a new grad for less and not guarantee them 40 hours? New grads are desperate for jobs so they will take anything they can get.

Hence the reason for these ridiculous metrics and workload expectations that they know are impossible to meet so they can justify getting rid of people

 

[Gombrich12]

So these new hires getting $48/hr are not getting raises either? It's got to be a kick in the teeth to come to work and each day the older pharmacist next to you is essentially being handed $50-60 in cash while you get nothing.

 

[BMBiology]

So these new hires getting $48/hr are not getting raises either? It's got to be a kick in the teeth to come to work and each day the older pharmacist next to you is essentially being handed $50-60 in cash while you get nothing.

That does suck but by 2015 it was painfully obvious the saturation was already here. A lot of people ditched pharmacy. A lot of subpar students got accepted in their place.

 

[waitforit24]

Walgreens knows they can’t do anything about the higher salaries for pharmacists who have been in the system for a while because it’s illegal to lower it not to mention the lawsuits that would follow them. The next best thing they can do is freeze the wages and start off the new grads with lower salary.

 

[BMBiology]

Has Wag touched benefits?

 

[thecoolpharmboi]

No surprise here. So no raises and what else? As long as I keep my 84 hr /2 weeks I’m good

 

[wagrxm2000]

If no pay raise for 4 years and 2.5% inflation then you just took a 10% pay cut.

Is WAG also cutting benefits?

If that is a serious question, no benefits were cut.

4 years? Heck put that out to 20 years and we're at half salary.....well anyone that is left.

 

[zelman]

Walgreens knows they can’t do anything about the higher salaries for pharmacists who have been in the system for a while because it’s illegal to lower it not to mention the lawsuits that would follow them. The next best thing they can do is freeze the wages and start off the new grads with lower salary.

Why is lowering salaries illegal?

 

[Lubeckd]

No surprise here. So no raises and what else? As long as I keep my 84 hr /2 weeks I’m good

Night shift?

 

[Lubeckd]

Do everyone here get yearly raises or has it been like this past 10 years or 5

 

[wagrxm2000]

Do everyone here get yearly raises or has it been like this past 10 years or 5

Beginning of this thread was the first year. I believe this is year 3.

 

[Dred Pirate]

Why is lowering salaries illegal?

I don't think it is - but I don't claim to be an HR expert. It looks bad and pisses staff off, but I didn't think it was illegal (some states (ex California) may have some law against it thou)

 

[AlwaysContrary]

Why is lowering salaries illegal?

If I remember correctly from my undergrad days it has something to do with the anti-discrimination laws. You can't have two people who do the exact same job with different pays. Im sure its way more complicated than that though

 

[lord999]

If that is a serious question, no benefits were cut.

4 years? Heck put that out to 20 years and we're at half salary.....well anyone that is left.

Are you in the age category where you still get the pension (and no, that isn't a rumor or a myth, Walgreens does have a pension plan that they ran for a long time before stopping it in the early 90s)? That apparently did get cut according to one Deerfield survivor, which means anyone who dated from 1992 who had that status probably is looking for retirement.

Didn't know this either, but the original DM I had (rather intelligent and politically savvy) who made corporate as a Director was fired last year for not playing the game right. I just ran into her at a meeting this week and she landed on her feet, but it still depresses me that the churn happens to good people too.

 

[alpha12]

Walgreens knows they can’t do anything about the higher salaries for pharmacists who have been in the system for a while because it’s illegal to lower it not to mention the lawsuits that would follow them. The next best thing they can do is freeze the wages and start off the new grads with lower salary.

The workaround would be to fire you and hire you at a lower salary.

 

[zelman]

If I remember correctly from my undergrad days it has something to do with the anti-discrimination laws. You can't have two people who do the exact same job with different pays. Im sure its way more complicated than that though

Have you seen the thousands of threads about new grads being hired to do my job for $30 less per hour?

 

[Mambo#5]

Our conference call is coming up later today.

So that makes it 3 years in a row of no raises? I would assume they will continue doing that unless stock price recovers. I understand current "atmosphere" leaves little choice in the matter. Is everyone ready to stay at their salary for the next 2-5 years?

Where’s everyone gonna go? CVS? Lol

 

[steveysmith54]

Where’s everyone gonna go? CVS? Lol

Newly emerging clinical roles, such as mtm... the usuals

 

[wagrxm2000]

Are you in the age category where you still get the pension (and no, that isn't a rumor or a myth, Walgreens does have a pension plan that they ran for a long time before stopping it in the early 90s)? That apparently did get cut according to one Deerfield survivor, which means anyone who dated from 1992 who had that status probably is looking for retirement.

Didn't know this either, but the original DM I had (rather intelligent and politically savvy) who made corporate as a Director was fired last year for not playing the game right. I just ran into her at a meeting this week and she landed on her feet, but it still depresses me that the churn happens to good people too.

No unfortunately I'm not.

 

[Dred Pirate]

If I remember correctly from my undergrad days it has something to do with the anti-discrimination laws. You can't have two people who do the exact same job with different pays. Im sure its way more complicated than that though

I see all that all the time - when I worked retail each RPh in the chain made a different amount and it was fireable if someone told someone their salary. One older guy got pissed when he found out a young new grad was making 5 an hour more - so he decided to early retire

 

[BMBiology]

I

I see all that all the time - when I worked retail each RPh in the chain made a different amount and it was fireable if someone told someone their salary. One older guy got pissed when he found out a young new grad was making 5 an hour more - so he decided to early retire

Is it a fireable offense to tell them your salary (legal question)?

 

[Dred Pirate]

I

Is it a fireable offense to tell them your salary (legal question)?

for this company they told me it was (again, I am not a lawyer) this company is no longer in business - so they did a lot of stupid things.

 

[owlegrad]

Most companies have people doing the same job for different amounts of money so that is just silly. I suspect they meant it is illegal to pay people different amounts due to race, age, etc.

As for disclosing pay, I have worked for companies that say it is against policy to discuss pay rates but I haven’t had one go so far as to call it a firable offense. I am curious about the legality of that as well.

 

[mentos]

I've had a couple coworkers leave their paychecks opened in the web browser for anyone to see, PIC included. I made more as a new grad than a slow Rph who had been there over 20 years. The PIC made much more than me though.