APhA Policy Manual

1. APhA supports efforts to increase immunization rates of health care professionals, for the purposes of protecting patients and urges all pharmacy personnel to receive all recommended immunizations.
2. APhA encourages employers to provide necessary immunizations to all pharmacy personnel.
3. APhA encourages federal, state, and local officials and agencies to recognize pharmacists, student pharmacists, pharmacy technicians, and pharmacy support staff as among the highest priority groups to receive medications, vaccinations, and other protective measures as essential health care workers.

1. APhA calls upon all employers of pharmacy personnel to promote and support participation in professional development activities.
2. APhA urges all employers of pharmacy personnel to include conference attendance as part of an employee’s compensation package, including allocated professional development days.
3. APhA encourages employers to offer comprehensive benefits packages that promote positive workplace environments and cultures.
4. APhA supports efforts to empower pharmacy personnel to advocate for compensated time for professional and leadership development, as well as benefits that align with their career goals.
5. APhA encourages pharmacy personnel to seek guidance in self-advocating for employment benefits that align with their career goals.

1. APhA calls for employers to adopt and implement just culture principles to improve patient safety and support pharmacy personnel.
2. APhA encourages transparency between employers and employees by sharing deidentified medication error and near-miss data and trends as well as actions taken to promote continuous quality improvement.
3. APhA urges the integration of non-disciplinary and non-punitive mechanisms for use by boards of pharmacy to promote just culture principles when addressing people, systems, and processes involved in medication errors.
4. APhA encourages national and state associations to advocate for laws, regulations, and policies to provide protections to individuals utilizing error reporting systems to promote just culture.
5. APhA encourages the creation of a mechanism for an industrywide effort to engage in confidential and transparent sharing of learnings and root cause findings helpful in reducing the risk of medication errors.
6. APhA supports the integration of just culture principles in PharmD and pharmacy technician education, postgraduate training, and continuing professional development programs.

1. APhA denounces all forms of racism.
2. APhA affirms that racism is a social determinant of health that contributes to persistent health inequities.
3. APhA urges the entire pharmacy community to actively work to dismantle racism.
4. APhA urges the integration of anti-racism education within pharmacy curricula, postgraduate training, and continuing education requirements.
5. APhA urges pharmacy leaders, decisionmakers, and employers to create sustainable opportunities, incentives, and initiatives in education, research, and practice to address racism.
6. APhA urges pharmacy leaders, decisionmakers, and employers to routinely and systematically evaluate organizational policies and programs for their impact on racial inequities.

1. APhA recognizes that pharmacy residents have a unique dual status as learners and employees and supports workplace protections to safeguard their education and well-being.
2. APhA asserts that the primary purpose of residency training is intensive education that prepares residents for advanced practice.
3. APhA supports protected educational time, appropriate supervision and support, progressive responsibility, and reasonable duty-hour and fatigue-mitigation safeguards.
4. APhA supports transparent, equitable compensation for pharmacy residents that reflects the education-first purpose of training yet ensures economic viability through cost-of-living-adjusted wages, core benefits and paid leave, coverage of required professional expenses, and periodic review and adjustment tied to service intensity and institutional conditions.

1. APhA recommends that health plans and payers contract with and appropriately compensate individual pharmacist providers for the level of care rendered without requiring the pharmacist to be associated with a pharmacy.
2. APhA supports adoption of laws, regulations, and policies pertaining to the independent practice of pharmacists when those laws, regulations, and policies and rules are consistent with APhA policy.
3. APhA, recognizing the positive impact that pharmacists can have in meeting unmet needs and managing medical conditions, supports the adoption of laws, regulations, and policies and the creation of payment mechanisms for appropriately trained pharmacists to autonomously provide patient care services, including prescribing, as part of the health care team.

APhA supports vaccinations, as recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, as a condition of employment, training, or volunteering within an organization that provides pharmacy services or operates a pharmacy or pharmacy department (unless a valid medical or religious reason precludes vaccination).

1. APhA advocates for pharmacists to be included as members of medical staffs and eligible to vote on the bylaws, standards, rules, regulations, and policies that govern those institutions’ medical staffs.
2. APhA supports pharmacists, as part of the medical staff, have parity in their opportunity to be credentialed and privileged as independent medical providers.

APhA adamantly opposes the basic education requirement within the Office of Personnel Management’s Classification and Qualifications –

APhA reaffirms its unequivocal support of equal opportunities for employment and advancement, compensation, and organizational leadership positions. APhA opposes discrimination based on sex, gender identity or expression, race, color, religion, national origin, age, disability, genetic information, sexual orientation, or any other category protected by federal or state law.

1. APhA recognizes the need for an ongoing census of pharmacists to establish and track changes in workforce demographics and practice characteristics.
2. APhA urges the federal government or other stakeholders to establish funding mechanisms to conduct an ongoing census of pharmacists to establish and track changes in workforce demographics and practice characteristics.

APhA supports ready access to Internet resources by pharmacists at their practice sites to facilitate delivery of patient care and to support professional development.

1. APhA encourages employers to offer benefit packages that provide dependent-care benefits, including, but not limited to, flexible spending accounts, voucher systems, referral services, on-site dependent care, and negotiated discounts for use of day care facilities, to improve workforce conditions.

APhA supports efforts to ensure equal rights of all persons.

1. APhA supports staffing models that promote safe provision of patient care services and access to medications.
2. APhA encourages the adoption of patient centered quality and performance measures that align with safe delivery of patient care services and opposes the setting and use of operational quotas or time-oriented metrics that negatively impact patient care and safety.
3. APhA denounces any policies or practices of third-party administrators, processors, and payers that contribute to a workplace environment that negatively impacts patient safety. APhA calls upon public and private policy makers to establish provider payment laws, regulations, and policies that support the safe provision of medications and delivery of effective patient care.
4. APhA urges pharmacy personnel to establish collaborative mechanisms that engage the pharmacist in charge of each practice, pharmacists, pharmacy technicians, and pharmacy staff in addressing workplace issues that may have an impact on patient safety.
5. APhA urges employers to collaborate with the pharmacy staff to regularly and systematically examine and resolve workplace issues that may have a negative impact on patient safety.
6. APhA opposes retaliation against pharmacy personnel for reporting workplace issues that may negatively impact patient safety.

1. APhA shall not function as or become a collective bargaining unit.
2. APhA recommends continuation of its educational efforts concerning the mutual responsibilities of the employer and employee pharmacist inherent in the employment relationship.
3. APhA recommends continued efforts to urge state associations to develop employee/employer relations committees to
   1. study all aspects of both the professional and employment relationships that exist between the employer and the employee;
   2. develop and recommend guidelines to provide direction and guidance to both the employed pharmacist and the employer in developing a mutually acceptable relationship;
   3. conduct necessary surveys designed to provide information on salaries, benefits, and specific problems with attention given to possible regional variations in the data obtained; and
   4. consider the establishment of an employment standards committee where feasible in each appropriate area of the state to act in an advisory and/or arbitrating capacity on matters pertaining to employment standards and employment grievances.
4. APhA recommends that colleges of pharmacy include the subject of employer/ employee relations within an appropriate course of the curriculum.

1. APhA affirms the United Nations’ Universal Declaration of Human Rights that collective bargaining is a fundamental human right.
2. APhA supports pharmacists' participation in organizations that promote the discretion or professional prerogatives exercised by pharmacists in their practice, including the provision of patient care.
3. APhA supports the rights of pharmacists to negotiate with their respective employers for working conditions that will foster compliance with the standards of patient care as established by the profession.

1. APhA calls on all national and state pharmacy organizations, colleges/schools of pharmacy, and other stakeholders to support the development of a profession-wide effort to address harassment, intimidation, and abuse of power or position.
2. APhA supports the development of a profession-wide guideline on reporting harassment, intimidation, or abuse of power or position in their pharmacy education and training, professional practice, or volunteer service to pharmacy organizations.
3. APhA recommends all pharmacy organizations incorporate harassment, intimidation, and abuse training in their member professional development and education activities.

1. APhA strongly urges all employers of pharmacists and pharmacy personnel, and the settings in which they practice, to implement protection and control measures and procedures, per consensus recommendations when available, and access to protective gear and cleaning supplies that ensure the safety of pharmacy personnel and that of their family members and the public.
2. APhA urges federal and state government officials, manufacturers, distributors, and health system administrators to recognize pharmacists and pharmacy personnel as “front-line providers” who should receive appropriate personal protective equipment and other resources to protect their personal safety and support their ability to continue to provide patient care.

1. APhA calls for employers to develop policies and procedures to support pharmacy personnel’s ability to retreat or withdraw, without retaliation, from interactions that threaten their safety and well-being.
2. APhA encourages the development or utilization of educational programs and resources by the Association, employers, and other institutions to prepare pharmacy personnel to respond to situations that threaten their safety and well-being.

1. APhA encourages all health care personnel to receive training and provide services to identify, assist, and refer people at risk for, or currently experiencing, a mental health crisis.
2. APhA encourages employers and policy makers to provide the support, resources, culture, and authority necessary for all pharmacy personnel to engage and assist individuals regarding mental health and emotional well-being.
3. APhA supports integration of a mental health assessment as a vital component of pharmacist-provided patient care services.

1. APhA supports staffing models that promote safe provision of patient care services and access to medications.
2. APhA encourages the adoption of patient centered quality and performance measures that align with safe delivery of patient care services and opposes the setting and use of operational quotas or time-oriented metrics that negatively impact patient care and safety.
3. APhA denounces any policies or practices of third-party administrators, processors, and payers that contribute to a workplace environment that negatively impacts patient safety. APhA calls upon public and private policy makers to establish provider payment laws, regulations, and policies that support the safe provision of medications and delivery of effective patient care.
4. APhA urges pharmacy personnel to establish collaborative mechanisms that engage the pharmacist in charge of each practice, pharmacists, pharmacy technicians, and pharmacy staff in addressing workplace issues that may have an impact on patient safety.
5. APhA urges employers to collaborate with the pharmacy staff to regularly and systematically examine and resolve workplace issues that may have a negative impact on patient safety.
6. APhA opposes retaliation against pharmacy personnel for reporting workplace issues that may negatively impact patient safety.

The employment relationship between pharmacists and their employers must start with the principle that pharmacists have a professional, inherent right to practice in a manner that will engender self-respect in pursuit of their professional and economic objectives.

It is the policy of APhA to further the following basic employment standards:

1. Employers are obligated to respect the professional status, privileges, and responsibilities of employed pharmacists.
2. Employers are obligated to provide working conditions that enhance the ability of employed pharmacists to utilize their full professional capacity in providing patient care service to the public.
3. Employers are obligated to provide employed pharmacists opportunities to increase their professional knowledge and experience.
4. Employers are obligated to fairly compensate employed pharmacists commensurate with their duties and performances. Such compensation should include benefits generally available to other professionals including, but not limited to, vacation, sick leave, insurance plans, and retirement programs.
5. Employed pharmacists are obligated to use their best efforts to further the services offered to the public by their employers.
6. Employed pharmacists are obligated to bring to the attention of their employers all matters that will assist the employers in maintaining professional standards and successful practices.
7. Employed pharmacists are obligated, when negotiating compensation, to consider not only prevailing economic conditions in their community, but also their economic position relative to other health care professionals.
8. Employed pharmacists are obligated to recognize that their responsibility includes not depriving the public of their patient care services by striking in support of their economic demands or those of others.
9. Both employers and employed pharmacists are obligated to reach and maintain definite understandings with regards to their respective economic rights and duties by resolving employment issues fairly, promptly, and in good faith.

   It is the policy of APhA to support these basic employment standards by:

10. Encouraging and assisting state and national associations to establish broadly representative bodies to study the subject of professional and economic relations and to establish locally responsive guidelines to assist employers and employed pharmacists in developing satisfactory employment relationships.
11. Encouraging and assisting state and national pharmacy associations to use their good offices, whenever invited, to resolve specific issues that may arise.
12. Assisting state pharmacists associations and national specialty associations to develop procedures for mediation or arbitration of disputes that may arise between employers and employed pharmacists so that pharmacists can call on their profession for such assistance when required.
13. Increasing its activities directed towards educating the profession about the mutual employment responsibilities of employers and employed pharmacists.
14. Developing benefits programs wherever possible to assist employers in providing employed pharmacists with economic security.
15. Continuously reminding pharmacists that the future development and status of pharmacy as a health profession rests in their willingness and ability to maintain control of their profession.

1. APhA advocates for employers to provide coverage and access to comprehensive reproductive health care services.
2. APhA demands that pharmacists and pharmacy personnel receive accommodations before, during and after pregnancy, including but not limited to sufficient time and space for breaks, opportunities to sit while working, and access to food and water between breaks.

1. APhA calls for employers to provide fair, realistic, and equitable workplace conditions for pharmacy personnel that promote a safe, healthy, and sustainable working environment.
2. APhA urges all entities that impact pharmacy personnel workplace conditions to adopt the Pharmacists Fundamental Responsibilities and Rights.
3. APhA urges employers to develop and empower pharmacy personnel to use flexible practice management models based on available staffing, expertise, and resources that balance workloads to minimize distractions.
4. APhA advocates for employers to provide workplace onboarding and training for pharmacy personnel to optimize employee performance and satisfaction.
5. APhA encourages pharmacy personnel, starting with leaders, to model and facilitate individualized healthy working behaviors that improve well-being and to encourage and empower colleagues to do the same.
6. APhA opposes the sole use of productivity and fiscal measures for employee performance evaluations.
7. APhA calls for employers and employees to collaborate in the development and use of behavioral performance competencies in performance evaluations.

1. APhA supports the principle that all work environments and educational settings be free of sexual harassment.
2. APhA recommends all pharmacy practice environments and educational settings have a written policy on sexual harassment prevention and grievance procedures.
3. APhA recommends that every owner/employer in facilities where pharmacists work institute a sexual harassment awareness education and training program for all employees.
4. APhA supports the wide distribution of the model guidelines contained within “APhA Model Policy on Sexual Harassment Prevention and Grievance Procedures” – Appendix D, APhA Policy and Procedures Manual.

APhA encourages employers to provide pharmacists with the tools required to manage stress and conflict within the workplace.