Lost my job yesterday

[SDC20]

Hey everyone, OP here, so I made a lot of phone calls yesterday and visited several pharmacies in person. Walgreens ( the store buying my customers) said they might can offer me two days a week to help with the transition and I could possibly float to other stores an hour or more away to pick up other shifts to get enough hours to make me full time. However, the two days a week hasn't been approved yet and there are no guarantees. A prison pharmacy offered me a contract position which would be a $17/hour pay cut and offers zero PTO. I just can't stomach this yet, the pay cut is a lot but I had 5 weeks PTO at my old job. My wife and I enjoy traveling and having to work Monday-Friday or not get paid is hard for me to accept.

Spoke with the other box chain stores, CVS and Walmart, and nothing within an hour drive. A buddy of mine owns several independent pharmacies about 30 minutes to an hour drive away and said he can get me in 3-4 days a week covering shifts and this is the option I"m going to take and hope it leads to something better with his company in the future. The pay cut will still be extreme but the workload will be a lot better and without the corporate pressure constantly weighing on me. I did receive an 11 week separation package (1 week per year worked) so I'm not in a panic for money, and hope to start with his company right away so I'll have both paychecks and allow me to save some money while this transition is taking place. I'm really upset my company didn't pay out unused PTO since I still had 120 hours, but I have no control over this.

As far as my vacation, we are definitely going to go. A couple reasons, I really need the getaway to clear my head and spend some much needed time with my wife. Also, I just don't enjoy being at my job right now and it's difficult lying to these customers and not being allowed to tell them that we are closing due to legal reasons. I know some have already heard but we can't say much, and I the less I'm there the better for me. These people are like family and I feel like I can't be honest with them about this buyout. When I get back from my vacation I'll have three days left at my job to close up shop, and tie up loose ends.

Thanks everyone for the kind words and thoughts. This transition is one I knew might take place, but didn't expect it at this time since our sales and growth were compounding each year. It's been a very difficult couple of days for me but I'm going to do my best to look forward and make the most of my new job.

[galawdawg]

Congratulations on the position with the independent pharmacies. It sounds like you will bring a lot of experience and good customer relations with you and very likely the move will be a win-win for both you and the independent pharmacies. From what I have heard, working at a big retail chain pharmacy is kind of like the candy factory scene from "I Love Lucy"! Hopefully you'll have an improved quality of life working for an independent operation.

I'm not sure I understand why you would not be able to share with customers that Food Lion has bought out Harveys and that Walgreens and CVS would be running the pharmacies, since that information is public knowledge and has been published both in trade papers as well as the mainstream media (News4Jax and WALB-TV for example). It isn't confidential or proprietary. I would certainly think you could honestly respond to customer inquiries about the situation and if they ask about your future, truthfully let them know where you'll be going.

Hope you have a great trip to the Virgin Islands!

[go_mets]

I'm not sure I understand why you would not be able to share with customers that Food Lion has bought out Harveys and that Walgreens and CVS would be running the pharmacies, since that information is public knowledge and has been published both in trade papers as well as the mainstream media (News4Jax and WALB-TV for example). It isn't confidential or proprietary. I would certainly think you could honestly respond to customer inquiries about the situation and if they ask about your future, truthfully let them know where you'll be going.

+1
With a big purchase like that it is definitely in the public domain.

Does Walgreens and CVS bring in their own people? Why not keep the current staff?
Or is it that the in-store pharmacies are being shut down and that the customers were sold to Walgreens and CVS?

.

[cashboy]

OP,

it sounds like you have some options and selected a reasonably good one (at least for now); not everyone is so fortunate.

best of luck to you!

[Young Boglehead]

Congratulations on finding a decent job!

My Dad was fired a few years ago and never found another full time job. He now works part time at 3 pharmacies and drives three hours away for one of them. All for around a 20 dollar pay cut without benefits. One part time job near us had 300 applications.

I would strongly avoid pharmacy as a new career for anyone interested at this point.

[bltn]

I never thought that I would walk in yesterday and get an email that I had lost my job due to a buyout from another company. I've worked as a retail pharmacist for 11 years in a grocery chain and poured everything I have into growing that business and making it profitable. Sales have increased over 300% since I have been there and it didn't come easy.

We received an email that we were being bought out and all of patient files were being transferred to a competitor. I'm devastated not only for the loss of my job but the loss of these customers that I've grown to know. Many of them are like family to me and I enjoy talking to them and catching up like friends would do each and every time they come in to see me. We have 3 weeks left before the transition and I have no idea what I'm going to do for employment after that time. I've made several calls but pharmacy isn't a friendly job market especially around my hometown. Best offer I received as of yesterday was a job almost an hour and half drive away that offered 46 hours every two weeks. The pay cut is going to be pretty drastic anywhere I go, most likely 20% or more and I'll lose at least 50% of my paid time off. Pharmacy salaries are declining pretty rapidly due to the job market being flooded with new grads.

My wife is holding in better than I have and she thinks I can find something better in the next month or so if I continue to look. We haven't gotten any info yet on a possible separation package but that will give me an idea how long I can keep looking before I take another job. Just a difficult time for my family and something I never dreamed of facing.

One of the hazards of working hard to grow a business as an employee is that it is someone else's business and you are expendable.

Have you considered perhaps partnering up with another pharmacist and opening up a small pharmacy?

Good luck in finding new employment.
j

With a good client base in the area, opening your own shop locally might be a very good idea. You could start discussing this possibility with your patients over your last few weeks of employment.

Good luck.

Edit: I just read through the rest of the thread. Congrats on the new job. I would still run the possibility of starting my own shop past my customers these last three weeks if you have ever thought about running your own business.

When I was growing up the rich person in our family was my uncle who owned three drug stores and worked as a pharmacist in one of them. He probably worked 70 hours a week. Retired in his mid 50 s and started a 20 year career in politics. High energy.

[BogleFanGal]

Are you at Bi-Lo or Harvey's? (https://www.winsightgrocerybusiness.com ... eys-stores)

If so, as a former CVS customer, I can say DON"T go with CVS if you can avoid it. I have had the WORST experiences with them, a complete lack of competence and professionalism. Just my $0.02!

amen to that - cannot stand CVS and won't do business with them ever again - it's disgusting how many insurance companies push them. I'll pay more elsewhere vs getting any RX from them. They gave us so much wrong information, wasted our time and created so many difficulties and delays trying to use their mail order process....never did get the medications. Ended up going elsewhere with much better results.

Sent us one of those generic "how did we do" surveys and I shared our experiences - never heard a word back. Wasn't surprised.

[harrychan]

If staying in an area with limited opportunities is important, you could consider a work from home pharmacy job. I know someone who has been doing this for an insurance company. Does not like it as much as her previous University based job but worth it to her for the lifestyle reasons.

This is what I came here to say. I know a friend who does this for a major insurance company. It is a stressful job but she enjoys it as it gives her tremendous flexibility.

[SDC20]

Congratulations on the position with the independent pharmacies. It sounds like you will bring a lot of experience and good customer relations with you and very likely the move will be a win-win for both you and the independent pharmacies. From what I have heard, working at a big retail chain pharmacy is kind of like the candy factory scene from "I Love Lucy"! Hopefully you'll have an improved quality of life working for an independent operation.

I'm not sure I understand why you would not be able to share with customers that Food Lion has bought out Harveys and that Walgreens and CVS would be running the pharmacies, since that information is public knowledge and has been published both in trade papers as well as the mainstream media (News4Jax and WALB-TV for example). It isn't confidential or proprietary. I would certainly think you could honestly respond to customer inquiries about the situation and if they ask about your future, truthfully let them know where you'll be going.

Hope you have a great trip to the Virgin Islands!

I dont really understand why we cant provide more information about the closing. I feel I owe it to these customers of mine to let them know what's going on and what to expect with this change.

[SDC20]

I'm not sure I understand why you would not be able to share with customers that Food Lion has bought out Harveys and that Walgreens and CVS would be running the pharmacies, since that information is public knowledge and has been published both in trade papers as well as the mainstream media (News4Jax and WALB-TV for example). It isn't confidential or proprietary. I would certainly think you could honestly respond to customer inquiries about the situation and if they ask about your future, truthfully let them know where you'll be going.

+1
With a big purchase like that it is definitely in the public domain.

Does Walgreens and CVS bring in their own people? Why not keep the current staff?
Or is it that the in-store pharmacies are being shut down and that the customers were sold to Walgreens and CVS?

.

The records are being sold to Walgreens. Our in store pharmacy will be closed. The walgreens just doesnt have the hours to offer to hire all the staff

[SDC20]

Congratulations on finding a decent job!

My Dad was fired a few years ago and never found another full time job. He now works part time at 3 pharmacies and drives three hours away for one of them. All for around a 20 dollar pay cut without benefits. One part time job near us had 300 applications.

I would strongly avoid pharmacy as a new career for anyone interested at this point.

I strongly advise students now to avoid pharmacy.

[Picasso]

If staying in an area with limited opportunities is important, you could consider a work from home pharmacy job. I know someone who has been doing this for an insurance company. Does not like it as much as her previous University based job but worth it to her for the lifestyle reasons.

This is an excellent idea. I work with pharmacists in this capacity every day and they just rubber stamp pre-auth requests. It’s not the most stimulating work but very necessary and stable.

[denovo]

That's why I won't work for a grocery chain.

The big two or Walmart is pretty safe for retail. Anyone jumping ship/gets laid off/fired is talking $15-20/hr paycut right now.

What is the Big Two?

[SDC20]

That's why I won't work for a grocery chain.

The big two or Walmart is pretty safe for retail. Anyone jumping ship/gets laid off/fired is talking $15-20/hr paycut right now.

What is the Big Two?

I feel eventually there will only be 3 pharmacy chains, walmart, CVS, Walgreens. There will still be independents and possibly Publix but most pharmacies will be bought out. Walgreens bought Fred's and now my company out in a 2 year span.

[moshe]

Find a way to get out on your own doing what you love. Be your own boss. Partner with your friend on a new location perhaps? Hard ? Of course. Quality of life. Be your own boss. Enjoy your life! More money? Perhaps yes, perhaps no but QOL! Kids? A+. Never miss anything.

I quit my corp job because i missed my son's cross over ceremony. (cub to boy scouts) In the end he earned his Eagle rank if this give you the idea how important this ceremony was too both of us!

You have the most important qualities for success. You love your customers.

Find a way. It is so worth it. yes. I did it. PM me if you want to talk.

~Moshe

[go_mets]

I'm not sure I understand why you would not be able to share with customers that Food Lion has bought out Harveys and that Walgreens and CVS would be running the pharmacies, since that information is public knowledge and has been published both in trade papers as well as the mainstream media (News4Jax and WALB-TV for example). It isn't confidential or proprietary. I would certainly think you could honestly respond to customer inquiries about the situation and if they ask about your future, truthfully let them know where you'll be going.

+1
With a big purchase like that it is definitely in the public domain.

Does Walgreens and CVS bring in their own people? Why not keep the current staff?
Or is it that the in-store pharmacies are being shut down and that the customers were sold to Walgreens and CVS?

.

The records are being sold to Walgreens. Our in store pharmacy will be closed. The walgreens just doesnt have the hours to offer to hire all the staff

That's what I thought you meant but some of the other comments made me question that.

I am surprised as you are that Food Lion is doing this.
Walmart has super cheap generics just to get foot traffic into the store.
Not sure why Food Lion does not think the same way.

Good luck in your new job.

.

[meebers]

[/quote]
I feel eventually there will only be 3 pharmacy chains, walmart, CVS, Walgreens. There will still be independents and possibly Publix but most pharmacies will be bought out. Walgreens bought Fred's and now my company out in a 2 year span.
[/quote]

I have been dealing with Express Scripts. For my coverage they use medicare and tricare for life. I am charged for most items $10/prescription. I have found out lately that Walgreens, using the same coverage sometimes it costs me less than half of express scripts. Sometimes close to double the cost depending on the prescription drug. I believe that Express scripts has been bought out at least once. One of my granddaughters worked retail grocery store for 10 years as a Phar Tech, her boss has a PHD. One of our friends, pharmacist, changed employers several times and now is working at the local hospital. If you like hospitals, might be an option?? Good Luck!

[potatopancake]

AFAIK, hospital pharmacy positions normally require residency-level training.

[stocknoob4111]

Good luck, hope things work out for you.