Thread regarding CVS layoffs

More layoffs coming

So I don't have inside knowledge so I don't profess to have any special connections. I do know though with CVS putting in a travel freeze and freezing hiring, they did it much earlier than it is normally done each year which is near the end of November. Particular to this year, In some areas, management has you filling out your profiles, skill sets, and multiple self-assessment tools that were never done consistently in the past, at least in the areas I have worked. I just have a feeling with this and along with the Aetna merger being approved, we'll see so layoffs coming soon. Anyone else see similar signs?

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Post ID: @OP+VLJh519

47 replies (most recent on top)

Strict payroll and limited resources yet leadership is in Napa Valley for a meeting? Dots don’t connect very well to me.

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Post ID: @hnro+VLJh519

Strict payroll in the last quarter! Blood bath on the way!

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Post ID: @hrfa+VLJh519

Agreed, it would be awful optics for CVS Health to have a mass layoff while Aetna acquisition is under way. I see year 2019 and 2020 as much more likely simply because there will be some areas of redundancy. The one-off layoffs that people have mentioned, like 'job being eliminated' I can see, but not with large volume this year.

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Post ID: @frdp+VLJh519

This is how we got around the layoff warnings. Hours have been reduced in Rx and Fs. Employees can not get full 40 hours as usual. They are being told to call sister depts to pick up hours or patch in their hours some how , like working call outs at a moments notice. This is a win for stores due to the fact they can easily find coverage now ,because people are desperate for hours! This is a layoff without actually being a layoff! No hours for you but we are not laying you off! Ps you will also lose benefits if you do not maintain 30 hour average!

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Post ID: @ebau+VLJh519

Don't know if there will or won't be able big layoffs and I'm feeling a 'no' on it especially with the optics of acquiring Aetna and letting a bunch of CVS employees go. I know of two people in Rhode Island that work on the business side where their positions were eliminated and were told they have 30 days to find a job internally. So maybe it's this time of year, where layoffs are considered, big or small, with management figuring out their budget for the next year and also if labor cuts need to be made. Glad I am not in management if decisions like this need to be made.

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Post ID: @ejoc+VLJh519

Big company-wide meeting this week, nothing uncommon, all companies including CVS have them so I agree with the comment below that if anything happens, anything 'BIG', from a layoff standpoint, it would probably occur before the meeting takes place so top brass can address it without having to do it in a followup meeting.

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Post ID: @emsp+VLJh519

In Texas report violations to eeoc first!

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Post ID: @ejdz+VLJh519

Who do you report this to?

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Post ID: @eoct+VLJh519

Flsa states that exempt status managers can not be required to work established schedules! They should have complete freedom to work as they see fit and judged on the outcome not how much work they do or hours they work! If you run a register , stock, unload trucks all week you are not considered by the federal gov as exempt and must clock in and out and receive ot at time half pay over 40 hours! Why do you think you will not be listed in my schedule in 2019?

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Post ID: @diky+VLJh519

DL leaked to Tsm. Information was all over district in a matter of minutes! Regional in damage control! Someone will be held accountable.

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Post ID: @djfw+VLJh519

We were just given SM schedules by our DL that were mandatory on the upcoming holidays ! The schedule relects 55 hours but we are paid 37 plus 8 hours holiday! Anyone else get these instructions! This seems to happen every year! We should only work 4 days not 6!

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Post ID: @crzk+VLJh519

If anything happens by the end of the year, I think it will be next week. If not, I think we are fine until the end of the year.

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Post ID: @chns+VLJh519

Yep, my team mate got laid off in Arizona, has to find a job internally by Nov 30 :(

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Post ID: @bfyx+VLJh519

All I can say is that I keep my eyes open for other opportunities, CVS doesn't project an atmosphere that would lend one to feel a sense of loyalty. I wish I felt different.

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Post ID: @5eee+VLJh519

Multiple big meetings in corporate were cancelled at the department level and sr director levels with front line personnel in the past week so hope that's just coincidence and not avoidance to address questions for actions set to come.

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Post ID: @4tud+VLJh519

To the person wanting to know why SMIT's are running stores without managers....why is that a bad thing? They are training to be a store manager what better way than hands on. And as for operations manager positions in small volume stores, that does not matter. Operations managers can be placed in any 24 hour store. Operation supervisors are for high volume stores.

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Post ID: @4vka+VLJh519

For the Monroeville layoffs, it must have been under the WARN threshold for Pennsylvania as it's required if it meets a certain threshold, however, that's for the entire state, and then it must be reported.

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Post ID: @3xpa+VLJh519

I have a relative that works for CVS Office staff in Monroeville PA. They stated that a whole section of staff in the old EXPO Mart building just disappeared recently. Not sure exactly how many people were involved but it was obvious that numerous desks were empty when viewed from an upper level of the building. Some found out later that there were layoffs but no announcement was ever made.

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Post ID: @3zik+VLJh519

Former field leader here.. last year was the beginning of a few rough years as the company intergrates Aetna, there will redundancies that will be removed. Left in April best decision I could have made.

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Post ID: @3pfx+VLJh519

Can anyone explain why new smit are now actually in charge of stores without a manager? Also why are small volume stores now allowed operation managers?

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Post ID: @3jcj+VLJh519

So DL agrees changes to stores operating under 15 a week! Agrees managers removed from demand! Self assessment was a hub task with a deadline! Corporate hiring freeze! New AP metrics ! Your giving yourself away and can not be trusted to tell truth to hard working people dedicated to the company. You all were saying same things last year and vp, rm, hr, lp,Dm, training were reduced to half staff. Great people with super results let go!

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Post ID: @3rhu+VLJh519

To the DL that mentioned 'None of my SMs have been directed to, and as a DL, I didn’t update mine last year either. It’s been since 2016 that it was touched.', remember what happened in 2016? So it's great DLs and SMs aren't hearing any whispers about this, but maybe other parts of the business are now 'having to touch' the things that you did back in 2016, it wasn't a good year if you remember. Actually was a really sad year.

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Post ID: @3yzg+VLJh519

Our entire department had to assess ourselves, develop our individual development plans, and complete the mysuccess criteria with depth, including giving ourselves ratings on each area for our own performance which then our management gave us numeric ratings based on a scale if they agreed. This was just for the mid-year mark mind you. Yes, you heard it right, for each area we had to hear or managers tell us why they scored us a '2' versus us rating ourselves a '3'. That sounds pretty exhaustive to me. In my 10 years at CVS, I've never had to do this much 'self reflection'. I see all of the recent comments are Retail based. I work in IT so I would say to those in Retail, be thankful that you aren't being asked to do this work. With no sarcasm, that is really good news for you. Back to my points earlier, self reflection is important, but not to the point of overkill where it can be used by management to rank people.

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Post ID: @3vpw+VLJh519

None of my SMs have been directed to, and as a DL, I didn’t update mine last year either. It’s been since 2016 that it was touched.

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Post ID: @3brr+VLJh519

So DLs...what’s up with the instructions to have store managers update their talent profiles by a certain date? Wasn’t that the instructions to RX sups and DMs last year around this time? Please weigh in here ...with truth.

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Post ID: @3qdp+VLJh519

I’ll second as a DL, this is all news to me as well aside from removing SM from FS demand reporting.

I wouldn’t believe any of the doomsday talk. Was told we will have no material changes in labor/headcounts aside from extremely low volume FS (<10-15k/week).

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Post ID: @2eur+VLJh519

We have cut hours back in the Rx to the point Ft can only get 15 to 20 hours in 5 days based on demand! Shifts are now 3 hours instead of 8! SM working 20 to 25 hours in the Rx ! I will shut up now . Cause all is great!

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Post ID: @2knq+VLJh519

Someone mentioned earlier about WARN notices so I looked it up and I see it's state specific on the requirements for reporting as best I can tell minimum requirements need to be met for it to show up for a given state. I also looked back last year and the year before and the WARN notices for CVS for some states literally went out right about this time (within a matter of days). I think this is a healthy discussion and not necessarily paranoia because if many people 'see' or feel the same thing then at worst it's some fear to worry about and better case is that we can prepare for other options as I suppose that's the purpose of WARN notices, to give time to digest and react.

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Post ID: @2ggm+VLJh519

The DL has spoken! Everything is great so go unload the truck and shut up. Nothing to worry about.

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Post ID: @2gnq+VLJh519

On the corporate side there is a hiring freeze right now, I've seen it first hand. Unless you have a very critical position, it's not getting filled this year. We've been told to cease our interviewing process for the one role we have posted. Remember, there are different areas of our company which is almost like speaking different foreign languages. What I mean is that I have no concept of the Retail, District, Store manager set-up so what may apply in that realm I think is much different in the business units around here. Just an observation as I read through the posts so there may not be a 'right' or 'wrong', but a different perspective of your area.

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Post ID: @2hen+VLJh519

I’m a district leader. I haven’t been asked to sign squat or choose which of my SMs will run two stores or who I have to lay off. I’m actively filling SM, SMIT and pharmacist holes. The only thing frozen is travel for meetings that can be handled via webex or VTC.

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Post ID: @2bug+VLJh519

You guys really gotta stop the BS. This amount of layoff activity would require WARN notices. There has been nothing. Please. Just stop.

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Post ID: @2vpl+VLJh519

Sorry i do not believe this for a number of reasons:

-majority of cvs FS do under 45k a week

-stores cannot operate at all without a SM/STL various reasons(LP audits no one to hold accountable, hiring/termination, etc) if no Sm is assigned to the store then all the audits,hr stuff falls on the DM

-In labor restrictive states like CA/NY etc

Almost all Sm are hourly and to manage multiple locations would not be considered an Exempt SM by state law meaning they would have to be salary, which means the store has to have a minimum of 310 hours to be considered salary. (Have to delegate more than 50% of your time)

-60k a year isnt even the minimum hire rate for sms in CA 65-68k starting pay for new promotions

Now i do not doubt there will be massive changes/cuts to come but I believe they will come from the top down. The boots on the ground are already as thin as they can get it.

Possible ways of change

-smaller loads, less shrink

-minimums on hand will be reduced,1-2 items each on shelf which in turn eliminates backstock which in turn eliminates the need to work overstock

  • less items in warehouse,easier daily work gets

-definitely reducing seasonal varietys and selection as it is a dying catagory is most stores

-Many other ways to cut back to make running a store with no labor easier

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Post ID: @1vmd+VLJh519

Front store managers in stores under 45 a week you are done! Get out the tissues your free loading days are numbered! You must be in charge of at least 45 a week min front store sales to have manager! Sales will matter , amount of sales, you do not want a small sales volume store! Change on the way and you will be the last to know, just ask the 7900 people laid off last year during alignment changes , new year new start

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Post ID: @1mxq+VLJh519

So if your over the cap

Will you stay red lined

Or will u get the axe ?

I don't believe this c-ap about

60k cap

Esp if your running 2-3 stores

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Post ID: @1dif+VLJh519

Nothing unusual? Told that same story last year and then laid off entire area business offices, lp,hr,and district managers! Your profiles are bring reviewed, DL must make decisions on who to keep by Nov 5th and who will assume 2 store or more lead. The 45 manager hours will be added to demand operating hours and the lead manager will oversee the 2-3 store operations . Pay will cap at 60,000 and others will be dismissed at the designated company date. Your first sign will be the meeting, if you r called to be there you are finished

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Post ID: @1wzb+VLJh519

We will find out soon if there are layoffs because they typically happen around this time of year and usually are quiet after the holidays.

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Post ID: @1zne+VLJh519

I've got a bad feeling too about this too, but maybe it's Aetna (not good for them of course) that may lose more jobs once the consolidation takes place for similar jobs like accounting....and maybe it's more of a next year thing. Who knows.....

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Post ID: @1rna+VLJh519

I think that Retail store jobs may be a little different for layoffs as you have to have enough personnel to keep the lights on, although opting low cost labor is a problem. Hiring freeze is more for corporate jobs, for new hires to expand teams. I so want to ask my manager around my cubicle, but too afraid to ask. Don't want to draw attention to myself.

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Post ID: @1vxv+VLJh519

Never heard of a hiring Freeze as a matter of fact I have 3 positions available. Just because we pay more doesn’t mean we have a better quality of candidates. All we are doing is paying young kids 11hr who don’t have common sense. No one is applying for this company and if they do once they see what’s it all about they RUN!!

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Post ID: @1flo+VLJh519

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