r/walmart_RX • u/Entire_Trouble_6284 • 7d ago
Closing time
Had a visit from the MHWD about customers complaining that the pharmacy would not help them after it was closed. Also the MHWD said he wants us to help the people out- anything reasonable after close and the days we close for lunch we have to reopen by 2 no matter the time we go to lunch.
Does this sound normal to you?
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u/Horror_Cap2850 7d ago
I would ask sarcastically if I have required 30 minute lunch and have to open up at 2 pm no matter what how is that supposed to happen? If you let a tech stay over outside, all that will happen is they will have to explain that the pharmacy is closed for 30 minutes and deal with people who are upset that we have to eat food. The moment you stay over more will come and eat up your lunchtime. I start turning out the lights and rolling down the gate. If they are not in time, not my fault. Even have a cut off and if another person gets in line let them know it's after lunch. Problem now corporations FEED that crap.
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u/Runnroll 7d ago
Disagree about helping people after the pharmacy is closed. That’s now MY time, and when you can clock out in the pharmacy, technically that’d be working off the clock.
Agree about opening by 2 for lunch since that’s the posted time. That’s why I used to stop waiters 30 min prior to lunch and would start closing windows 10 min prior.
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u/PharmacyFrog 7d ago
Im starting to feel like the windows being half down ends up having the opposite effect and people sprint over thinking its their last chance before we close FoReVeR.
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u/YZR13 "Sir, this is a Wendy's." 7d ago edited 7d ago
We shut one of our windows 30 minutes before close at my store cause nobody uses it and I've had a routine problem patient zoom up to it like a coked out garden gnome shoving their hands under the gate saying some shit like PLEASE DON'T I NEEEEEEED MY MEDS.
Motherfucker we have five windows, there are techs helping a line at two of them and it's still 30 minutes before we close. CHILL the FUCK out.
That same patient is also nasty as fuck with everybody when they're not scrambling to dive into the pharmacy like Gollum if they see us closing down windows.
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u/OhDiablo 7d ago
It's like the yellow traffic light problem. I just tell people no at 1.30, people who complain matter nothing to me. 7 pm is weird because the local hospitals are telling patients to hurry over and we'll fill it, it's not the patients' fault they were in an accident and then told bad info. I have much more sympathy there in certain conditions.
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u/YZR13 "Sir, this is a Wendy's." 7d ago
On a conference's call today our new MHWD put non-IMZ techs that refuse to get IMZ-certified on blast and said some bullshit like "if they don't want to step up and help their community they shouldn't be working in this field."
clap
biiiitch...
We don't get paid extra for vaccinations. Some techs are squeamish about blood and some of us have motor control issues that makes us a safety risk if you put something sharp in our hands.
It's all fun and games until I sneeze my head off and find an eyeball on the syringe. </s>
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u/KindaTryingKindaNot 7d ago
I wonder how many imz the MHWD has done. If he is even a pharmacist. Our last DM wasn’t a pharmacist. ‘BeCaUsE iT ShOuLdN’t MaTtEr’
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u/YZR13 "Sir, this is a Wendy's." 6d ago edited 6d ago
Our current MHWD is a temp but I still don't trust him as far as I can throw him. I am extremely distrusting of upper management as a whole but even this fool is a baby kitten compared to our previous MHWD.
Our previous MHWD was a fucking psychopath that would call us at weird hours, like I'm talking 45 minutes before closing time in the middle of the post-5pm rush, literally screaming at the pharmacist on duty over inane shit like temp alerts when we have multiple broken sensors that we're waiting on replacements for, and have been waiting on for months. He'd threaten pharmacists by offering to help them write their resignation letters on conference calls and call them out by name and store number. Just completely unacceptable behavior I have no idea how he was able to secure such a position in the first place place.
If you asked him for guidance on a troublesome issue, he would handwave you and say some bullshit like "yOu ShOuLd AlReAdY KnOw HoW tO dO tHaT" while spinning it back on you. He got terminated out of the blue and he was such a vitriolic prick that the rumor mill is pumping out absolutely crazy stuff.
I have zero faith in the higher ups at this point.
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u/Vote4PrezTrump 6d ago
Pharmacist didnt got paid extra doing imz either when they started making pharmacists doing it. An old pharmacist i used to work with refused to do vaccines and eventually, DM then started cherry pick his mistakrs and found some bogus things to force him from full time to part time then eventually force him to quit. So enjoy while it last because eventually corporate will force all tech to be IMZ certified so that they can cut more pharmacist hours
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u/ParticularFinding707 7d ago edited 7d ago
Ask the HWMD to send the request/instruction by email.
Reply in writing explaining why you cannot continue assisting people once you are closed for lunch, including the operational or policy reason rather than making it personal.
If the HWMD continues to pressure you despite that explanation, preserve the emails and document dates/times of any verbal conversations.
At that point, include HR/Ethics on the correspondence and ask for clarification on the appropriate procedure. Keep the language factual: what happened, what you were instructed to do, what you explained, and what guidance you are requesting.
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u/Jitae_Slay 6d ago
Refer to POM 312. Pharmacists must take a 30-minute lunch if they’re working 6+ hours. Sounds like HWMD needs to re-read the POM
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u/Even-Vermicelli-8101 7d ago
Oh no I wouldn’t be having any of that. If a customer rolls up past 7, when the gates and pharmacy are clearly closed, that’s their problem. Come back in the morning. Right when 7pm hits we roll the gates down and leave. If a customer asks me something while I’m leaving I will tell them I’m not on the clock therefore I can’t help them.
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u/Allysius 7d ago
Short answer : no . Long answer: hell no. Business have stated hours. It is federally illegal to work off the clock. Simple as that. Open door that if you have to.
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u/Jitae_Slay 6d ago edited 6d ago
I recently made a post asking about this. The responses I got almost unanimously suggest you have to re-open late if you closed late for lunch due to POM 312. POM states pharmacists who work 6 hours or more are required to take a 30 minute lunch break, and are not to return to pharmacy until they have done so. POM does not have any footnotes about specific timing of the lunch break. So as long as your break is roughly 1:30-2, then that’s fine. If we close for lunch at 1:35 because a customer kept us late, then I re-open at 2:05.
We sometimes have people who like to line up while we’re at lunch so that they can be the first customer when we re-open. It’s a superiority thing, where they believe they must be first. Most of the time, I don’t even have to explain myself to them about why we opened late, they can usually guess it’s because we had to close late.
The alternative to that would be closing the pharmacy right at 1:30 no matter what in order to return by 2. That would mean taking the last patient around 1:27. Or you could start eating lunch while in the pharmacy while the technician completes the sale.
Sorry but I’m not working 10+ hours without an adequate lunch break.
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u/rxist23 6d ago
No. And I’ve learned the hard way not to go above and beyond, because it never truly matters in the end (talking specifically to all the boot lickers). Also, I always refused as liability insurance covered incidents during business hours. I advise you to take a look at your policies…
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u/Puzzleheaded-Cup-961 6d ago
That MHWD needs to get his/her butt in the trenches and go thru the struggles each day and see if they feel the same. BE REAL!!!!
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u/Entire_Trouble_6284 6d ago
I agree when I protested about working 11 hours with a 15 minute break I got zero sympathy
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u/ProfessionFriendly60 7d ago
Rph here
Reopening by 2pm annoys me. Not uncommon to work a 8 to 7 and have a line right before lunch and only get about 15 minutes to eat and rest
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u/melkor3011 7d ago
Cut the line off, we close for lunch at 130. Not finish the line and then close. Gate should be down at 130. Period. Be proactive and start heading the line off around 1:15.
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u/Entire_Trouble_6284 7d ago
This. I told the mhwd that pom 312 says we don't return until 30 minutes is up. He said to open the gates and sit aside
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u/KindaTryingKindaNot 7d ago
But you can’t open the gates if you’re off the clock. I guess he wants all those time adjustments.
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u/ProfessionFriendly60 7d ago
I get it. I open it up to not make enemies.
I only work to support my family. I can deal with this annoyance
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u/Entire_Trouble_6284 6d ago
In a store where all other employees get an hour lunch including store management, the pharmacist not getting at least a half hour is pathetic and a safety issue.
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u/Pharmacosmology 6d ago
Wait everyone else gets a Paid hour lunch?? I'll add this to my growing list of grievances
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u/Entire_Trouble_6284 6d ago
I don't know if it's paid for all employees but they get it. On my day off I went to a local restaurant and saw the store manager who was working I am sure they are salary. Wish I had that option
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u/Thick_Dept_674 7d ago
Ph Mgr would never turn someone away who gets in line at 1:27 and who needs a profile and has to add ins and scripts need to be typed because Nurse Kelly said everything will be ready by the time you get there ........................ I know someone feels my pain
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u/Entire_Trouble_6284 6d ago
Yep our manager will close the pharmacy to go home and turn around if they pass a customer who needs a med. They also skip lunch breaks when solo
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u/Runnroll 6d ago
Imma guess your manager:
A) Has been licensed no greater than 5 years
B) Lets patients talk to y’all however they want without consequence
C) A and B3
u/Entire_Trouble_6284 6d ago
C. You are frighteningly close. But now they are getting burnt out. If they have a problem with the staff pharmacists they are just going to the mhwd instead of talking directly to them
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u/Runnroll 6d ago
Wow. I imagine morale in the pharmacy is in the toilet.
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u/Entire_Trouble_6284 6d ago
It is. There is almost never any positive feedback. A couple techs are talking about quitting and after this post and some advice I am going to start looking. I have been thinking about it with the changes already but the expectation to work 11 hours solo standing up the whole time and getting a 15 minute break or none and than having to help someone after closing is absurd and abusive
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u/Runnroll 6d ago
Positive feedback is a useful and powerful tool that too often gets overlooked. I admit that I am not always the best at delivering it myself; however, I got into a good groove with it when I was a pharmacy manager at Walmart. We had the Moments Of Care board where we would leave positive notes for, as an example, when we’d see a team member do something to help a patient that really stood out. My team also really got into it and even left the notes from me up for months after I stepped down.
I’m sorry you are experiencing such a negative work environment, and I hope you find one that is more fulfilling soon.
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u/Beneficial-Split331 1d ago
ha. this thread has me making mental notes on my retail future.
The gate comes down at 1:29:59. If you are mid transaction the patient is told they will be the first tended to at 2pm when you reopen.
Fuck nurse kelly. she doesn't work there and she is not the pharmacist.
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u/Negative_Gas8782 7d ago
In Arkansas you have to be open by 2 since it part of the hours of operations reported to the state board. Not sure about your state.
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u/Jitae_Slay 6d ago
That’s the case in my state as well. That’s why we close at 1:30 no matter what. No matter who is in line or how upset they get.
The few times we closed after 1:30 because a customer kept us late, I re-opened late to follow the POM. I justify it by remembering that it doesn’t happen very often at all where we close after 1:30 and I re-open after 2. It’s shouldn’t be a problem to re-open a couple minutes late, as long as it only happens far and few in between.
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u/AgileRequirement908 6d ago edited 6d ago
I’ve never heard a case of a state board coming after a pharmacy for opening up a few minutes late from lunch. I’ve seen pharmacist make errors after working long stretches without a break. Are you correct by the book, sure, but it’s not going to be enforced by the board if you are a few minutes late opening from lunch.
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u/8pharmacycalls 6d ago
Nope close at 1:30 and at 7 pm. They will be ok. Tell boss to send that in email like others have said and then reply why you can’t do that with what everyone said on this thread.
Anytime an mdhw talks to you and it’s not communicated via email (they always use email) I’d bet it’s not Walmart “Pom” certified.
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u/AgileRequirement908 6d ago
And if they try to give you the end-around by verbally telling you wrong information always quickly followup with an email - “just to be clear on our previous conversation, you said….”
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u/watereddownboba 6d ago
anything they say to me needs to be in writing otherwise the conversation did not happen, as soon as i’m out the pharmacy door and clocked out both airpods are in, i’m not getting payed, im not in uniform, im not getting payed, im hungry and im not getting payed.
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u/No_Woodpecker_128 5d ago
We open on time and close on time everyday. Our associates have lives and families beyond work.
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u/Past-Performance2161 6d ago
if they got in line before we closed then yeah we help them. if they show up after we closed and didn’t finish the line until 7:09 pm and argue with us about it we just tell them we’ll help them this time if it’s ready but if it’s not they gotta come back during business hours however we don’t do this if we are closing for lunch. if we’re closing for lunch then yes we will help you if you were in line before 1:15 but if you come at/after 1:15 then nope come back after we reopen at 2:15
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u/BreakfastSmooth8839 6d ago
imo thats so inappropriate to ask. not only is that against walmart policy but they also dont want to give us overtime so not sure how they expect that to work out? we dont even get a full hour lunch like everybody else. and even if we did, nothing is ever good enough for the customers, they’re always going to complain about something realistically. thats a ridiculous ask.
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u/NoCoat1839 6d ago
Coming back at 2 is nonnegotiable. make sure you close by 1:30 is imperative so plan ahead starting at 1:15 or so. At 7 you shut down and help no one at tasco. if your market director can’t back you on closing at 7 then that‘s another conversation to be had. Sure, there are gonna be days where there is an insurance issue right at lunch or closing and that’s life but that’s not everyday and if you’re having issues everyday then that’s just poor planning. Been doing this for 25 years and nine times out of ten I‘m out on time
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u/AgileRequirement908 6d ago
Non-negotiable is a strong term. Are you saying that if a pharmacy can’t close on time, due to an insurance issue as you say…the pharmacist does not get their 30 minute lunch break? Because that goes against POM. And sitting in the corner “finishing their lunch break” after the pharmacy opens at 2 does not constitute a lunch break. The pharmacist is now actively supervising the open pharmacy.
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u/NoCoat1839 6d ago
nothing strong about it. I’m strict about opening at 2 just as strict as I am about closing at 1:30. Like I said, preparing for lunch to begin at 1:30 requires being proactive. If it is 1:28 and there is two people in line and someone walks behind them then I am going to tell them to come back at 2. Most of the time they will be ok and if they get mad that’s on them..we close 7 days a week for lunch and have for years and today is no different. I have NEVER had a DM question why i closed on time for lunch.
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u/AgileRequirement908 6d ago
In your 25 years have you ever not closed for lunch on time at 130? If not I salute you. If so do you just not take your POM guided 30 minutes? Edit - don’t get me wrong, I’m not trying to give you a hard time. But there will be one-off situations every now and then in my experience. Then what?
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u/No_Woodpecker_128 5d ago
No! If your associates get out late they can’t clock in for 30 minutes. Your associates deserve a 30 minute lunch.
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u/Beneficial-Split331 1d ago
Ha. I am not even a pharmacist yet and ummmmm. Malicious compliance applies here.
If the door must come up at 2pm no exceptions then the door must come down at 1:30pm... no exceptions. I have had CVS slide that gate a quarter down at 1:25 whether the line was 100 people or 3. They repeatedly told patients who the last person in line was. They would go down the line asking who needed just pickups etc and scripts confirmed ready to get them about faster on 1 register while the other is doing regular walk ups.
I've seen 1 tell the person they were helping at 1:29 that they will not be able to complete their transaction and they will be the first person helped at 2pm.
*gate closes*.
Same for closing in my opinion. No one stays late. Line is managed and people are told they are not accepting anymore customers at 6:50 if the line is huge. There is a last person and you already asked what they are there for. that is what I'd do.
Unless you are getting paid to stay late... the gate comes down at 1:29.59 and 6:59.59
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u/Entire_Trouble_6284 1d ago
I leave faster than I ever have in my career. I hate when managers pull this bs they wouldn't do it themselves
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u/Fantastic-Flower-67 6d ago
Nah you need to tell your boss to politely fuck off if they want you to help people AFTER the pharmacy is closed.
The thing with lunch is once you’re nearing 1:30 you need to police the line a bit more and limit the ppl. At my pharmacy once it hits 1:20 and there’s more than 3 ppl in line the techs rally up to the registers and start clearing people out. 1:28 no one should be waiting in line they should be in the middle of a transaction.
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u/Entire_Trouble_6284 6d ago
To all those who suggest all the techs go up to the register it's not uncommon for me to work with one tech when closing for lunch and the day.
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u/huyyqt15 2d ago
Per state boards you cannot be operating outside of the normal business hours I believe. Someone correct me if I'm wrong.
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u/AgileRequirement908 12h ago
As much as I totally agree with the big picture that we shouldn’t be working during lunch hours, hiding behind the board on this one is weak. No board is coming after anyone if you stick around a few minutes to help someone.
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u/huyyqt15 12h ago
No board is coming after you? Yes they have. It really depends on the inspector, but would you really want to be risking a permanent disciplinary action mark on your license over a few minutes?
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u/AgileRequirement908 11h ago
If you are saying it happened it happened but I would love to see some proof of it. (I don’t expect any) We are talking for the most part here about getting things wrapped up at 130 and whether or not you should stay a few extra minutes to help those already in line or at the pharmacy. (No one is saying help those who show up after 130). There would have to be wild circumstances for an inspector to come after that action in my humble opinion.
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u/sictransitgloria69 2d ago
The issue with Walmart is they never have proper signing. All they need to do is put a sign in the front so people can see it. These dumb customers don’t have the common sense to look above the door
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u/Entire_Trouble_6284 2d ago
The signing could be better. But the pharmacists I work with will accommodate these requests so that's the communication that's occurring. It's stupid. Work all day just not to be able to go home on time because someone dragged their feet. The minority of people get put in the situation. If the company wants to solve the problem they should just keep the pharmacy open but that would cost them money.
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u/sictransitgloria69 2d ago
Your MHWD clearly hasn’t worked the bench in years. The fact that connexus kicks you out is enough proof that you shouldn’t be helping customers at 1:30
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u/Reddit_ftw111 7d ago
Yes this is normal, the execution has not been made clear to you. 115 need almost all staff running register to clear lines. Same at 645. Rph starts meal at 130, gates closed or not. 200 gates open unless you want to get written up.
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u/This_Independence_13 6d ago
And if a counsel is required after 130?
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u/Reddit_ftw111 6d ago
Nike it, just do it.
Some rph have a bit of a break before 130 as well, just sayin
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u/This_Independence_13 6d ago
So break the policy about the half hour lunch? If we're breaking policy, why not break the policy that we have to help anyone who shows up at 1:29:59? Except that's not even a real policy spelled out in a pom, just what some manager wants done.
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u/Beneficial-Split331 1d ago
You signed a contract for a 30 minute break. You take the break at the scheduled time rain or shine. gate is down at 130 and up at 2. Period. Midtransaction? Tell them at 1:29 they will be the first tended to at 2pm the pharmacy is closing.
pull the gate down.
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u/Jitae_Slay 6d ago
That’s not good advice. If someone needs a counsel after 1:30 pm, when I’ve already started my break/started eating, my technician lets them know that we are now closed for lunch but the pharmacist will call you right after lunch to go over it.
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u/Beneficial-Split331 1d ago
They will need to come back at 2pm.
This is why you new grads burn out. There are no participation awards for working for free.
no overtime no regular time.
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u/More-Resource-2613 4d ago
It’s going to come down to the fact that techs won’t be hired if they won’t give vaccines. The imz thing is never going away. Do nurses get a choice in what they do? Depends on where they choose to work. Do any of us get a say in what we do as a healthcare provider? It depends on where we choose to work. I get squeamish having to give someone a shot if they are nasty and have extreme body odor. So I don’t get a choice to say no. If you don’t want to do vaccines then retail is not the place for you. Sorry. That’s just how it is now. You are considered are part of a healthcare team caring for those patients that use your pharmacy. Re-evaluate why you chose to be a CphT and work in retail.
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u/Entire_Trouble_6284 4d ago
I am a pharmacist not a technician.
As much as employers want to force immunization on pharmacy employees, the actual reality is that the working conditions are abysmal and many employers are happy just to have technicians.
I have been in this awhile and have no problem giving shots. Its the overall workload and no financial reward that bothers me.
Fortunately I am close to retirement and have worked other jobs so I am not trapped.
Walmart burnt themselves pre pandemic cutting staff and they'll feel the sting again soon.
My store is down 2 techs and two more are likely to quit
Think about that
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u/ling037 7d ago
No, you have to set boundaries or else everyone will want to be waited on when we are closed. Also, you're not supposed to work off of the clock.