Nearly a third of former CVS employees struggle to access their benefits information after leaving, and the portal changes are a big reason why
Quick reference: CVS benefits after termination
- Health insurance ends: Last day of the month you leave
- COBRA deadline: 60 days from coverage loss
- 401(k): Yours if vested; dollar-for-dollar match up to 5%
- PTO payout: State law dependent; no PTO accrual until 6 months
- Employee discount (up to 30%): Ends on last day
- Former employee portal: CVS Alumni Zone (myhr.cvs.com redirect)
- HR phone: 1-866-528-7272
CVS Health has changed its employee portal system multiple times in recent years, going from MyHR to Colleague Zone to Workday for current employees. If you left during any of those transitions, figuring out where to find your benefits information is half the battle. This guide walks through each benefit and tells you exactly which portal or phone number to use.
Step 1: Figure out which portal you can actually access
This is where most former CVS employees get stuck, so let’s clear it up first.
If you left recently (2024 or later): Your primary portal is the CVS Alumni Zone, which redirects through myhr.cvs.com. When you separate from CVS, the company sends two automated emails to your personal email address on file: one with your username and one with a temporary password. These emails typically arrive within 24 to 48 hours of your last day. If they didn’t arrive, check your spam folder, then call 1-866-528-7272.
If you left before the Colleague Zone transition: You may still use the myhr.cvs.com login, but the system may route you differently. Same phone number applies if you can’t get in.
What you need to log in: Your 7-digit Employee ID and the credentials from those automated emails. If you never received the emails or lost them, HR support at 1-866-528-7272 can reset access.
Step 2: Check your health insurance end date
CVS health insurance (medical, dental, and vision) ends on the last day of the month in which your employment ended. If your last day was March 10, you are covered through March 31.
After that, you have 60 days to either elect COBRA or enroll in a Marketplace plan through healthcare.gov. COBRA keeps your exact CVS plan for up to 18 months, but you pay the entire premium plus a 2% admin fee. For many former CVS colleagues, this lands between $400 and $700 per month for individual coverage.
CVS offered health benefits to full-time employees, with 7 paid holidays included. If you were part-time and didn’t have health benefits through CVS, this section doesn’t apply to you, but you may still want to check Medicaid eligibility or Marketplace options.
Given that CVS has closed 271 stores in 2025 (and over 900 since 2021), a lot of former colleagues are going through this process right now. The alumni portal and HR line can be backed up, so call early in the day if you can.
Step 3: Understand your 401(k) options
CVS matches 401(k) contributions dollar-for-dollar up to 5% of your pay. This is one of the stronger matches in retail, right alongside Target’s plan.
After leaving, your 401(k) stays in the plan. You can leave it there, roll it into an IRA, transfer it to a new employer’s plan, or cash it out. Cashing out before 59½ triggers a 10% penalty plus income taxes, so avoid that unless you have no other choice.
Check your vesting status through the Alumni Zone or by calling the plan administrator. If you worked at CVS for several years, the match is likely fully vested, but confirm it rather than assuming. Our guide on what happens to your 401(k) when you quit covers the rollover mechanics.
Step 4: Determine your PTO payout
CVS does not let employees accrue PTO during their first 6 months of employment. After that, full-time colleagues earn between 20 and 30 days per year depending on role and tenure. Full-time employees also receive 7 paid holidays and 3 paid bereavement days.
Whether your accrued PTO gets paid out at separation depends on your state. California, Colorado, Illinois, Massachusetts, and several other states require payout. In states without that mandate, CVS follows its internal policy.
If your final paycheck is missing PTO you believe you earned, call 1-866-528-7272 with your employee ID and dates of employment. Also review CVS final paycheck laws for your state’s specific rules.
Step 5: Know what you lose on day one
The employee discount is a big loss at CVS. While employed, you got up to 30% off name-brand products, 20% off store-brand items, and 20% off cvs.com orders, plus ExtraCare points. All of that ends on your last day. There is no continuation or retiree discount program.
Life insurance and disability coverage ends immediately. No conversion options through CVS.
Paid bereavement and holidays obviously stop. But your ExtraCare card itself still works for regular customer deals, since that’s not an employee benefit.
For the full breakdown of how the discount worked while you were employed, see CVS employee discounts.
Step 6: Handle your W-2 and tax documents
Former employees access W-2s through the CVS Alumni Zone (myhr.cvs.com redirect). Navigate to the tax documents section. If you opted into electronic delivery while employed, your W-2 should be available online by late January. Otherwise, a paper copy is mailed to your last address on file by January 31.
The auto-emails with login credentials (mentioned in Step 1) are critical here. If you never received them and tax season is approaching, don’t wait. Call 1-866-528-7272 immediately.
For a detailed walkthrough, see CVS W-2 guide for former employees.
Store closings and layoffs at CVS
With over 900 stores closed since 2021, this is relevant for a lot of people. If your store closed and you were not offered a transfer, you were effectively laid off and should be eligible for unemployment in most states. If you were offered a transfer to a nearby location and declined, your unemployment eligibility depends on state rules about “suitable work” refusals.
For guidance on the unemployment process, see how to file for unemployment after being fired.
Visit our CVS Health employee resource hub for all CVS-related resources.