Ticker: Starbucks plans corporate layoffs; Walgreens accused of filling fraud prescriptions

Starbucks said it plans an unspecified number of layoffs as it restructures its corporate staff.

In a letter to employees, Starbucks Chairman and CEO Brian Niccol said the Seattle coffee giant needs to ensure all work has a clear and accountable owner who can make decisions. The company also needs to reduce complexity and silos.

“Our size and structure can slow us down, with too many layers, managers of small teams and roles focused primarily on coordinating work,” Niccol wrote.

The layoffs won’t impact baristas in Starbucks’ stores. Niccol said decisions will be communicated by early March.

Walgreens accused of filling fraud prescriptions

The U.S. Justice Department is accusing Walgreens of filling millions of prescriptions in the last decade and more without a legitimate purpose, including for dangerous amounts of opioids, according to a lawsuit.

Filed in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois, the complaint says the drugstore chain’s pharmacists filled controlled substance prescriptions with clear red flags.

Walgreens also systematically pressured pharmacists to fill prescriptions without taking the time to confirm their validity, according to the complaint.

The lawsuit says Walgreens filled “unlawful” prescriptions in violation of the federal Controlled Substances Act and sought reimbursement from federal health care programs for them in violation of the False Claims Act.

Walgreens, one of the country’s largest pharmacy chains, with over 8,000 locations, said in a statement that it stands behind its pharmacists. It said they say fill legitimate prescriptions for Food and Drug Administration-approved medications written by Drug Enforcement Administration-licensed prescribers in accordance with all applicable laws and regulations.

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