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Walgreens Scraps Paid Holidays for Hourly Workers
16 Nov
Summary
- Walgreens ends paid time off for 6 major holidays
- Hourly employees must now work on holidays to get paid
- Changes come a month after Sycamore Partners acquired Walgreens
In a move that is sure to impact many Walgreens employees, the pharmacy chain has announced that it will no longer provide paid time off for six major holidays. As of 2025-11-16T18:19:28+00:00, hourly workers at Walgreens will only be paid if they work on Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year's Day, Memorial Day, Fourth of July, and Labor Day.
Previously, employees who met certain requirements were paid for these holidays even if they did not work. However, the company has now eliminated this benefit, a change that was communicated to workers back in October 2025.
The decision comes just a month after Sycamore Partners, a private equity firm, acquired Walgreens. It appears to be part of broader cost-cutting measures at the company, which last year announced plans to close 1,200 stores nationwide. Just last month, Walgreens also laid off 80 corporate employees.
While the pharmacy giant has not responded to requests for comment, the loss of paid holiday time is sure to be a disappointment for many Walgreens workers. As the holiday season approaches, they will now have to choose between taking time off unpaid or working on these important days.
