Chain community pharmacies: quotas.

Under the Pharmacy Law, the California State Board of Pharmacy licenses and regulates the practice of pharmacy and the conduct of a pharmacy in this state. The Pharmacy Law refers to various types of pharmacies, including community pharmacies, as specified. Existing law prohibits a community pharmacy from requiring a pharmacist to engage in the practice of pharmacy at any time the pharmacy is open to the public, unless another employee, as specified, is made available to assist the pharmacist at all times. This bill would prohibit a chain community pharmacy, as defined, from establishing a quota, defined as a fixed number or formula related to the duties for which a pharmacist or pharmacy technician license is required, against which the chain community pharmacy or its agent measures or evaluates the number of times either an individual pharmacist or pharmacy technician performs tasks or provides services while on duty. The bill would also prohibit a chain community pharmacy, through employees, contractors, or third parties, from communicating the existence of quotas to pharmacists or pharmacy technicians who are its employees or with whom it contracts. The bill would authorize the board to take an enforcement action against a chain community pharmacy that violates these provisions, as specified.