Employer frequently breaching employment law

[juliethotel]

Hi all, I'm after some advice

I currently work for a well known high street bookmakers and have done for the past 15 months.

The area I work in has been badly understaffed for quite a while now.

I am frequently working more than 6 hours without getting a break, this has happened probably 10-20 times in the past year, but I'm now keeping a log of when it occurs.

What shall I do about this?


Thanks

[juliethotel]

Today for example, I have worked from 740am and got an hour and 20 minute break at 310pm.

Surely I was entitled to a break at 140pm?

[juliethotel]

Purity14 said:

No, when did you start and when did you finish?
Then tell us when your break was..!

I started work this morning at 740am, I will finish at 10.10pm. I've had an hour and 20 min break that started at 3.10pm.

http://www.hse.gov.uk/contact/faqs/workingtime.htm says:

"A worker is entitled to an uninterrupted break of 20 minutes when daily working time is more than six hours. It should be a break in working time and should not be taken either at the start, or at the end, of a working day."

[juliethotel]

Well the way we usually work is someone will open the shop at 740am and work through until close at 10.10. Another person is due to come at either 12 or 1pm and do either 4 or 5 hours. This works fine and well when this happens.

The problem is we are so badly understaffed that there is no-one to work the 4 or 5 hour shift.

Staff that are doing the 4 or 5 hour shifts are made to 'relieve' 2 or 3 shops in one shift. I.e. go around the shops giving the all-day staff an hour or so's break.

This invariably means that someone won't get a break until 3, sometimes 4pm.

Although as HenryJM mentions, it seems there is no regulation as to how long an employee can work for without a break, it seems as long as they get one, of the right length then it's perfectly lawful.

[juliethotel]

We don't work consecutive all-day shifts. That would be in breach of the 11 hours between shifts directive, (not strictly a law?) which strangely my company takes very seriously.

Oh I'm looking for other work, the thing is I can go out and get another job easy, but there is no point in going into another job i'm not fussed about. I'd rather hold on and find something I want to be doing.