22nd Aug 2009
Pharmacist Hours and Pay
Like any job, the hours you work as a pharmacist and the pay you get can vary wildly.
We’ve already touched on pay and I’ve provided you with the most recent survey to help you.
But hours in pharmacy, frankly, can be tough to swallow.
Weekends Off Tough to Find
The holy grail of pharmacy jobs is to find someone offering Monday thru Friday with weekends off.
With the advent of chain drug stores and now, drive thru pharmacies open 24 hours, that is becoming harder and harder to find.
So, most jobs require at least some sort of weekend and holiday hours. Of course, they also tend to pay more because they have a harder time staffing those positions. You’ll have a decision to make.
Overtime
Being paid extra for the hours you work over in pharmacy is now, virtually non-existent.
Years ago Walmart was sued by pharmacy employees for not paying overtime wages. You can find a more detailed description of the case at: http://www.uwsa.edu/tfunds/walmart1204a.htm .
Wal-Mart’s Policy Now
I have some friends who work for Wal-Mart and I questioned them on how they handle the overtime situation now.
Essentially, if you work over or cover another shift they’ll pay your eight-hour wage plus give you an extra $20 or some such for the extra time.
Considering this pharmacist is making $55/hr that’s pretty trivial. But, based on my conversations with others, you’ll find this kind of behavior standard operating procedure for most large chains.
As I mentioned earlier, this is one of the reasons I would be very straightforward with a large corporation or chain store on what is required of me, and vice-versa, before I ever accepted the position.
Pharmacists are Pushovers
Frankly, I think its standard operating procedure because, in my opinion and experience, pharmacists are pushovers when it comes to standing up for how their employers are treating them.
I’m not sure if pharmacists’ are hard-wired to be pushovers or what. But, of all the professions I’ve been exposed to in my life, pharmacy is the worst.
I won’t put up with that kind of treatment. If you want me to work over, I’ll do it if it’s reasonable. But, I expect to be compensated. Essentially, I’m a hard-ass on the issue. My employer doesn’t like it but they know they can’t push me around.
In my particular case I get ‘comp’ time. If I work an extra hour on Tuesday than I get an extra hour of vacation in my time bank.
To me, time is more valuable than the money. So, it’s fair.
But pharmacists across the board routinely put up with their employers screwing them on their hours.
Remember, as a pharmacist you are in demand. You don’t have to work for someone who is going to try and screw you over.
You’re Also a Professional
In another case (De Jesus-Rentas v. Baxter Pharmacy Services Corp., 1st Cir., No. 03-2679, March 9, 2005) pharmacists were deemed to be ‘professionals’ and not entitled to overtime pay.
Why professionals? As a pharmacist you have the ability to use your own discretion to go outside the company procedures.
You can call a doctor if you question a prescription. Or, if a patient shows up drunk, you can withhold their prescription if it could cause harm being mixed with alcohol.
In short, you’re not a company drone. You have some freedom in how you operate. But, that freedom can cost you in how you are classified as an employee.
Make Sure it’s Fair
The moral of this story is to set up the parameters of the job before you take it.
If they expect a lot of ‘working-over’ then you should either be compensated in time or money.
Of course, most employers fib about how much they want you to work over. If you take the job and find out it’s more than originally expected – call them on it, make your requirements known and stand firm.
If they continue treating you that way be willing to walk.
This is an area you need to be tough on. Like I said above, employers seem to sense that pharmacists are ‘weak’ on this issue and often pounce on it.
Like any job, the hours you work as a pharmacist and the pay you get can vary wildly.
We’ve already touched on pay and I’ve provided you with the most recent survey to help you.
But hours in pharmacy, frankly, can be tough to swallow.
Weekends Off Tough to Find
The holy grail of pharmacy jobs is to find someone offering Monday thru Friday with weekends off.
With the advent of chain drug stores and now, drive thru pharmacies open 24 hours, that is becoming harder and harder to find.
So, most jobs require at least some sort of weekend and holiday hours. Of course, they also tend to pay more because they have a harder time staffing those positions. You’ll have a decision to make.
Overtime
Being paid extra for the hours you work over in pharmacy is now, virtually non-existent.
Years ago Walmart was sued by pharmacy employees for not paying overtime wages. You can find a more detailed description of the case at: http://www.uwsa.edu/tfunds/walmart1204a.htm .
Wal-Mart’s Policy Now
I have some friends who work for Wal-Mart and I questioned them on how they handle the overtime situation now.
Essentially, if you work over or cover another shift they’ll pay your eight-hour wage plus give you an extra $20 or some such for the extra time.
Considering this pharmacist is making $55/hr that’s pretty trivial. But, based on my conversations with others, you’ll find this kind of behavior standard operating procedure for most large chains.
As I mentioned earlier, this is one of the reasons I would be very straightforward with a large corporation or chain store on what is required of me, and vice-versa, before I ever accepted the position.
Pharmacists are Pushovers
Frankly, I think its standard operating procedure because, in my opinion and experience, pharmacists are pushovers when it comes to standing up for how their employers are treating them.
I’m not sure if pharmacists’ are hard-wired to be pushovers or what. But, of all the professions I’ve been exposed to in my life, pharmacy is the worst.
I won’t put up with that kind of treatment. If you want me to work over, I’ll do it if it’s reasonable. But, I expect to be compensated. Essentially, I’m a hard-ass on the issue. My employer doesn’t like it but they know they can’t push me around.
In my particular case I get ‘comp’ time. If I work an extra hour on Tuesday than I get an extra hour of vacation in my time bank.
To me, time is more valuable than the money. So, it’s fair.
But pharmacists across the board routinely put up with their employers screwing them on their hours.
Remember, as a pharmacist you are in demand. You don’t have to work for someone who is going to try and screw you over.
You’re Also a Professional
In another case (De Jesus-Rentas v. Baxter Pharmacy Services Corp., 1st Cir., No. 03-2679, March 9, 2005) pharmacists were deemed to be ‘professionals’ and not entitled to overtime pay.
Why professionals? As a pharmacist you have the ability to use your own discretion to go outside the company procedures.
You can call a doctor if you question a prescription. Or, if a patient shows up drunk, you can withhold their prescription if it could cause harm being mixed with alcohol.
In short, you’re not a company drone. You have some freedom in how you operate. But, that freedom can cost you in how you are classified as an employee.
Make Sure it’s Fair
The moral of this story is to set up the parameters of the job before you take it.
If they expect a lot of ‘working-over’ then you should either be compensated in time or money.
Of course, most employers fib about how much they want you to work over. If you take the job and find out it’s more than originally expected – call them on it, make your requirements known and stand firm.
If they continue treating you that way be willing to walk.
This is an area you need to be tough on. Like I said above, employers seem to sense that pharmacists are ‘weak’ on this issue and often pounce on it.
Posted by CMA under 
pharmacist salary 
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