Kroger cuts part-time pharmacists in Ohio

COLUMBUS, Ohio Kroger laid off almost 100 supermarket pharmacists in Ohio last week, according to published reports.

The Columbus Dispatch reported Saturday that the supermarket chain laid off 93 part-time pharmacists in the central part of the state, leaving 340 full-time pharmacists in the chain’s 126 stores in the Columbus, Ohio, area.

Some of the pharmacists may be called back to work, leaving them ineligible for severance pay, the Dispatch reported. A company spokeswoman told the newspaper that it was the first time the chain had laid off part-time pharmacists, saying there were more pharmacies in the area than grocery stores thanks to the growth of drug store chains.