Thread regarding Walmart layoffs

Honestly, I will never shop at Walmart again. I will pay more not to walk into a Walmart and have ptsd from all the fear and stress they caused me.

After we get our severance we should all connect.i feel fortunate I’m out of that creepy company. The stuff I’m hearing now from my friends is awful. They are one sick game.

I don't really deserve to be included in this conversation. I was not officially a victim of the corporate slaughter that took place this summer. However, I do believe that I was singled out to be terminated just one week after most of you were all "displaced". I was very fortunate and found another position at an independent pharmacy and was able to leave the company before they walked me out the door. Yes, I have to drive about 45 minutes each way now. And yes, I took a fairly significant pay cut. But my stress level has plummeted and I feel I have control of my life back. My wife has told me that she has her husband back.

I know that I was very fortunate to land my new position and to be financialy able to take the cut in pay without drastically changing my lifestyle. But my message is simple. Don't give up. Don't let the Evil Empire win. You will find your way to a new life and you will be happier than you were working for this c-ap company and living every day of your life in fear. You and your health are far too important to sacrifice at the altar of WalMart.

Life is good.

To all who have posted here or have read the comments: I want to say thank you to each of you and your families. I fully understand what has happened to you over the past few weeks. I may not know each of you but I know the hard work and sacrifices you made over the years , and I know you were making a difference in the lives of your patients, customers and fellow associates.
Please know that someone has been thinking of all of you and wanting only the best for you.
If I could have known each of your names I would have personally reached out to you. Since I am not privy to that information I will simply offer this as a note of gratitude and encouragement.
You are all great fellow pharmacists and friend.

Thank you

This is a little touchy. What pharmacists can do outside of the medical field. It depends on many many things and it’s different for everyone. Age, where you are in your career, your financial situation, among other things. Are you willing to start over? Take a risk? Relocate? Go back to school? I know folks (not just pharmacists) that have completely started over in their 40s and even later. Why not? Some got into teaching, one went back to school for a degree in history, some are now in sales. What are your interests? We don’t think it is so, but retail pharmacists have many attractive qualities that many employers are looking for. Organization, attention to detail, efficiency, just to name a few. What are your qualities? If the alternative is to stay in a job that is taking you down an unhealthy road, why not make a change? Life is too short.

I also feel the same way...like an extreme injustice was done and there's nothing I can do about it and no one who really cares (except those that this also happened to). And yes, for all the trolls, I do know what at-will employment means. I appreciate the words of encouragement and hope of some of the posters below. I wish there were another way we could connect, for those that need additional support (and not just on this anonymous forum). I was just wondering, what are some of the other job fields that pharmacists are getting into, outside of healthcare?

I don’t know about everyone else, but I feel extremely violated and victimized. I feel that I have been done an extreme injustice. Good luck to everyone. Keep posting here so we can keep up with everyone’s progress.

Pharmacist here. I left Walmart about 9 months ago. I didn't see things improving, too many nonsense pressures, increasing the likelihood of making a mistake and hurting someone. I don't know if I saw the layoffs coming, but I didn't want to be put in that position. So I left. My mental state was also not headed in the right direction. Let me emphasize that it has not been an easy time / transition, but I want to share that change is possible. Even though it is terrifying. I am still licensed of course, but going down a new career path. Not even in the medical field. Save your money wisely, take your time and anything is possible. Best of luck to those displaced at WMT and those stuck in retail. Someone below said you are the lucky ones. I truly believe that. It won't be easy, but you will be stronger and happier in the end. It just might not feel like that right now. Take a risk and give it time and work hard. It will work out. Best of luck to all.

For the person who found a job not in retail do u mind me asking what is ur new job? I’m looking into insurance bc I don’t want to go back to Walmart. This is our last week! I wish we could all be together and celebrate and support each other. Let’s wait until the severance checks are in the bank first!! God bless everyone here bc we are the lucky ones. We just dont know it yet. :)

Found a job a month after I got let go end of June. Had approx one interview per week in the interim but July sure felt like an eternity! I decided to take what I was offered and keep looking for a better job. Trying to avoid retail after what Walmart did to us. I'm traumatized!

We better be covered bc it’s coming out of our checks. We should have insurance till 8/30. We are still considered employees until we sign our severance.

Anyone having issues with Walmart health insurance? I had a child see the dr on 8/8/19 and the EOB shows coverage not active for date of service.
Also had DM txt today “Just checking in- any luck with finding a spot? Nothing new to report in the market”

Has anyone been hired back at Walmart or found jobs at other employers? I applied for a job. I felt liked damaged goods also. We’ve not been displaced we have been disgraced.
They haven’t ruined anybody’s life yet. If you can afford to take a cheaper rate as a new hire do do do. Stay with your family and friends. But if you can’t maybe a move will be a great blessing.

I had to sell my house or trying to sell house and move to a larger area. No one where I live would hire me for full time and give me a better rate then a new hire. So I have to pick up roots and move. Leaving behind a lot of friends and family. But had many good offers in a larger area and I start working soon. Walmart has officially ruined my life. But I’m just hoping this is a blessing in disguise.

Anyone have any luck getting a job? According to the Walmart job site there are no pharmacist jobs in Iowa. I have had interviews with other companies, but get the feeling that they see displaced Walmart pharmacists as "damaged goods" and are staying away from us. Anyone else have those feelings!

My job as well taken by PCSM. I have no loyalty to Walmart to go back bc they are so micromanaged they cannot get anything done. Way too much management and not enough workers. They would talk down to us all the time. Some real winners in district mgr and above in that company.

To the last post. I also had the same thing happen. A PCSM took my job. No help finding a new position. Can’t even get on Walmart one to find info. And no idea how they chose us. I just know I was the highest paid in my area so I figure that was the reason for me.

When hiring back the displaced individuals, company wants to "best candidate". If you have any issues, or manager has any issues with you, you are technically fired. This is a way for hiring the right people

Someone below mentioned that 9/5 will be our last regular paycheck, then comes severance. I have also NOT been contacted about any of the positions listed on career page. Who else here basically just had their position taken from them with no explanation and no just cause, only for it to be handed to someone else? I still don't understand how we were picked?

Does anyone know if this is last paycheck or will there be one more after Aug 30 term date?

Agree totally with disgraced pharmacist. This is Walmart’s problem with not properly negotiating with PBM. Also, when cvs was buying Aetna, Caremark where were they? Asleep st the wheel?

Our store had roughly a 20% payroll cut. I wonder if they will eventually add hours? Good luck to them come vaccination and cough and cold season.

I went in and counted all the posted positions for pharmacist. I counted roughly 225 and I know I didn’t count them all.

1. How many are the jobs of the “displaced” pharmacist that they have reposted?
2. Has anyone been contacted about any of these jobs? Has anyone called you and asked you to take one of those jobs even though it may mean pulling up roots and moving?
3. Are the posted jobs going to be filled at $35 /hr and part time?

I don’t know if displaced pharmacist is the proper wording maybe they should call us the disgraced pharmacist.

Hope anyone that got let go is getting severance. If they term u for some bs reason do u still get severance or is that the new way to avoid paying us? I got laid off and this is second time so I’m taking it as that’s it. Once when I was hourly and now salary. I’m done. Time to look for another job.

I can attest to firing tenured pharmacists for cause. I am a tech and at my store they fired my pharmacy manager over some BS reason. The PCSM replaced him. It was total nonsense.

I have a question about the $35 per hour salary for pharmacist. Where is this taking place? I've worked for over 20 years for Wal-mart and can remember when starting pay for pharmacists was$57.00 per hour in 2007 Midwest. What has happened to salaries?

Call the severence line that someone reported in this blog. I spoke with them and got all of my info.

Has anyone received their paperwork? Does anyone know how many weeks of severance we will get what if I do not have 5 years of service? I should have went to PA school or PT

Do we have any updates or evidence of “firing for cause?”

I called Walmart's severance line at 1-800-622-3989 and they said we are paid through August 30th and our last paycheck will be on 9/5. The last paycheck will include 5 days of PTO if you have up to that unused. Early September they will send out paperwork for severance pay. Hope that helps! I couldn't find the Facebook group/page that was created either.

I cannot get an answer from my dm and I cannot sign into Walmart one. I’m wondering when our last paycheck is if anyone knows?

Are they not paying through August 30th

I could not find Facebook acct as well. I think our last check is aug 22. Then if not rehired severence May be next pay day,

I cannot find that facebook group one of the users here created even after searching for it....is it active?

When is our last paycheck ? I will be filing unemployment after that. Is it 8/22?

Walmart always screws everything up. As long as u have it in writing I should be fine.

So I’m the rehire that posted earlier, I never said that my pay was $35/hr actually it was the same rate as I had before just less hours (48 vs 72) anyways seems like I’m screwed more so than the rest because they won’t restart me until after August 30th, so according to corporate that I called yesterday I’m out the severance pay, and if they decide not to start me or change their minds I’m out a job as well. And unfortunately I don’t have the funds to wait for a better offer so anything even a $35/hr position I might have to consider even temporarily

To the blogger who questioned me on my hourly rate. You and I may work in different demographics. Let me clarify this to you. I will not be a pharmacist with all my knowledge, loyalty and skill. I am not selling this profession short while we have endless middle managers making money on our backs. Time to rally for pharmacy not be a doormat.get ur Walmart money paid out then become active in the future of pharmacy our profession.

To the pharmacist who would not take $35 per hour. You will probably be forced to temper your expectations for salary going forward. Make no mistake, this purge was about nothing but money. Wages went up quickly and dramatically 15 to 20 years ago as a result of the shortage of pharmacists. There were more jobs than there were bodies to fill them at that time and the result was higher offers and sign-on bonuses to lure potential pharmacists. Now that dynamic has flipped and salaries will almost certainly go back down just as quickly and dramatically. I believe $40 to $50 per hour is probably going to be the going rate in the very near future. And that is if you're lucky enough to find a job at all.

I don't mean to be pessimistic, but the law of supply and demand will dictate salaries and I'm afraid we will need to adjust our thinking in terms of compensation.

I'm not excusing the tactics that WMT uses to purge themselves of their highest paid pharmacists in any way, shape, or form. They are repugnant and sleazy. But I'm afraid that it is just a preview of things to come as companies (and especially pharmacies) cut costs by any means possible.

I would continue to look for other jobs as u may find something better. It can’t hurt. So will 8/22 be our last paycheck or are we paid through 8/30 and get our last paycheck through August and our last the next pay period. Or is our severence paid out on the first payday in September? I cannot log into Walmart one and my dm has been of no help. Appreciate any info.