Breaks at work query.

Author
Discussion

Chester draws

1,412 posts

111 months

Tuesday 12th November 2019
quotequote all
Good for you.

If they're happy that your break restarts if interrupted then you don't have (too) much of a complaint. As it seems they're asking you to "stop the clock" on it, less so.

Expecting you to not be paid after 10pm for something they don't let you do until after 10pm is taking the proverbial though!

Rover620ti

Original Poster:

20 posts

57 months

Tuesday 12th November 2019
quotequote all
Chester draws said:
Good for you.

If they're happy that your break restarts if interrupted then you don't have (too) much of a complaint. As it seems they're asking you to "stop the clock" on it, less so.

Expecting you to not be paid after 10pm for something they don't let you do until after 10pm is taking the proverbial though!
What has been suggested is that we "stop the clock" rather than restart hence the annoyance. There's a distinct lack of communication from head office to the managers which is why they get away with so much. When an issue such as this arises it's often the ill informed manager that's made the scape goat.This isn't a small company and has many thousands of employees. You would be shocked by some of the goings on that have happened in my five years but that's for another day.

Roo

11,503 posts

208 months

Tuesday 12th November 2019
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Sounds like a Premier shop.

Rover620ti

Original Poster:

20 posts

57 months

Tuesday 12th November 2019
quotequote all
Roo said:
Sounds like a Premier shop.
I don't really want to name my employer as I still work for them but I will say that the company is named after a professional football player.

condor

8,837 posts

249 months

Wednesday 13th November 2019
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Rover620ti said:
condor said:
You mention you work at a convenience store - does that close at 10pm? If you decide to claim your full lunch break 30 mins, would that mean your employers might extend closing time to 1030pm?
Up until 13 months ago we weren't paid for any time past 10 even though they specifically forbade us from picking the tills up before 10. That meant an extra 15 minutes each day where we weren't paid. That's now changed but I can't see them allowing an extra 30 mins to be added.
I used to manage an off licence with opening times of 10am-10pm and also didn't get paid past 10pm - I managed to get the cash up time down to 5 mins. We didn't get paid lunch breaks as there was often quiet times during the day when you could get a coffee, eat something and go to the loo. I think your manager probably thinks the same. I did query having a lunch break and was told if I insisted then the shop opening hours would change to 10am-10.30pm and I could shut the shop in the quiet time of 2-2.30pm. I realise that a post office counter is busy most times during the day so not really relevant but as an example of you're unlikely to get what you want.
If you push for a 20 min uninterrupted break, your shift times might change so a 20 min break isn't needed. The worst shift times I've had to do as a relief manager was 10-2pm, 6-10pm so no break needed for a 4 hour shift.

anonymous-user

55 months

Wednesday 13th November 2019
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Bad employer. Unionise.

crofty1984

15,871 posts

205 months

Wednesday 13th November 2019
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Sir Bagalot said:
I've worked in environments where sometimes you were expected to answer queries when you were at lunch.

I've seen people wear headphones and them not listening to anything.

If in that situation I'd simply go for a walk
Yup. I used to make a point of leaving my desk and heading off to the break room/go for a walk. Otherwise it's always "oh, can you just...?"

Rover620ti

Original Poster:

20 posts

57 months

Wednesday 13th November 2019
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So it's been an eventful day to say the least. I received an email early this morning confirming a starting date for the new job so I have had to hand in the resignation today. Upon handing in the resignation I still wanted to point out that asking us to work on our breaks wasn't entirely legal. This was followed up with an agressive response from the manager "your lucky you are leaving otherwise you would have seen what would have happened" and general empty threats. I wasn't going to make this a bigger issue simply because I don't need the headache but after the aggressive response I felt I needed to put this on record. A nice chat to the area manager confirmed that my stance was recognised by law and that what was being asked was unenforceable. Having said that I was also told that there was an informal agreement made but when I pointed out that unless an employee had signed out of the WTR then this wasn't binding, he backed down and stated that things will be done to make sure this doesn't happen as regular as it has. All in all its left a very sour taste as this manager came across as the nicest of the bunch that I've had in 5 years of being here(7 managers in that time). I've not worked anywhere else really but I genuinely believe it's got to be one of the worst companies to work for especially considering its size. I thank you all for your responses.

hondafanatic

4,969 posts

202 months

Wednesday 13th November 2019
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Kudos for getting involved when you didn’t need to.

beer

Chester draws

1,412 posts

111 months

Thursday 14th November 2019
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As above, well done for putting yourself out.

I have experience of a very large retailer, all the policies are written and available, that still doesn't stop managers attempting to enforce their own ideas.

Example, Bank holidays are stated as voluntary working days on the holiday policy. Managers will still refuse to authorise them and say staff have to work them.

lyonspride

2,978 posts

156 months

Thursday 14th November 2019
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Chester draws said:
As above, well done for putting yourself out.

I have experience of a very large retailer, all the policies are written and available, that still doesn't stop managers attempting to enforce their own ideas.

Example, Bank holidays are stated as voluntary working days on the holiday policy. Managers will still refuse to authorise them and say staff have to work them.
Exactly, and if you question it you'll find yourself getting sacked on some trumped up charges.
In a world of fiction, workers rights exist, but in the real world you have none.