Rules on going to the toilet at work?

Mrsalice

Just a quick Q about the subject title. Skip to the last paragraph for it, the first couple are just a bit of extra info and stuff.

I have 2 retail jobs. One of them I only work 10-1 on a Sunday. In charge is either the store manager or !!! manager, and a 16 year old very immature team leader.

A few weeks ago I said to a girl at work when it was quiet I'm just running up to go for a wee. I was literally 2 minutes. But when I got back the team leader who harasses me all day (which I've complained about) about informing her. I said I couldn't find her etc etc and that I had let somebody know.

Yesterday I was bursting to go and waited 20 minutes whilst serving til it was quiet. As soon as it was dead in the store I said to a girl there keep an eye on customers at my dept I'm just running up for a wee. The team leader was no where to be seen and the assistant manager was dealing with a customer. I waited till it was quiet, informed someone and ran up as quick as possible to go, and was back within a few mins. As I got back to where I was working, it was still dead btw, the manager came up to me and said repeat after me, please [his name] or [team leader] please may I go to the toilet? I said no I'm not repeating that, I needed the toilet, I don't need your permission, I waited til it was quiet, informed somebody and was as quick as possible. It started a big arguement, which I would rather avoid, but I'm not 10 years old at school. I'm 23 and have been in this job since I was 16 earning a bit of extra money. I've always worked hard but due to this new team leader and her constant harrasment I am getting so demotivated and fed up, which is causing arguements. Anyway, the manager said I need his permission or I can't go. I have to wait til he's free to check if I can run up to the toilet. I said I didn't know how long he'd be serving, and I didn't want to interrupt his conversation with 'just going for a wee'.

Please give me any advice on the correct rules and rights about going to the toilet at work. I will be speaking to the main store manager on Sunday but need to know where I stand really. I know it's not a huge issue but it is to me as this is the ridiculous attitude I have constantly because of this little immature team leader who is continuously trying to prove herself by bossing me about because I'm the oldest member of staff there on Sundays.

Zazen999

Ask HR for the procedure on going to the toilet as your manager makes you ask him each time, as if you are a 4 year old who has just started nursery. Which you aren't.....so you need to see the procedure to check that what you are doing meets their understanding of the process.

kelloggs36

Mrsalice wrote: »

Just a quick Q about the subject title. Skip to the last paragraph for it, the first couple are just a bit of extra info and stuff.

I have 2 retail jobs. One of them I only work 10-1 on a Sunday. In charge is either the store manager or !!! manager, and a 16 year old very immature team leader.

A few weeks ago I said to a girl at work when it was quiet I'm just running up to go for a wee. I was literally 2 minutes. But when I got back the team leader who harasses me all day (which I've complained about) about informing her. I said I couldn't find her etc etc and that I had let somebody know.

Yesterday I was bursting to go and waited 20 minutes whilst serving til it was quiet. As soon as it was dead in the store I said to a girl there keep an eye on customers at my dept I'm just running up for a wee. The team leader was no where to be seen and the assistant manager was dealing with a customer. I waited till it was quiet, informed someone and ran up as quick as possible to go, and was back within a few mins. As I got back to where I was working, it was still dead btw, the manager came up to me and said repeat after me, please [his name] or [team leader] please may I go to the toilet?Absolutely disgraceful - something which should be reported. This is bullying and should be clamped down upon as soon as possible. I said no I'm not repeating that, I needed the toilet, I don't need your permission, I waited til it was quiet, informed somebody and was as quick as possible. It started a big arguement, which I would rather avoid, but I'm not 10 years old at school. I'm 23 and have been in this job since I was 16 earning a bit of extra money. I've always worked hard but due to this new team leader and her constant harrasment I am getting so demotivated and fed up, which is causing arguements. Anyway, the manager said I need his permission or I can't go. I have to wait til he's free to check if I can run up to the toilet. I said I didn't know how long he'd be serving, and I didn't want to interrupt his conversation with 'just going for a wee'.

Please give me any advice on the correct rules and rights about going to the toilet at work. I will be speaking to the main store manager on Sunday but need to know where I stand really. I know it's not a huge issue but it is to me as this is the ridiculous attitude I have constantly because of this little immature team leader who is continuously trying to prove herself by bossing me about because I'm the oldest member of staff there on Sundays.

I hope you get this sorted ASAP as you are absolutely correct - you are being harrassed. IMO as long as you inform somebody where you are and don't leave a customer mid-sentence then you are entitled to go to the toilet. The alternative is to wee on the floor!!!!!!!!!

paulwf

It seems reasonable to me that you should have to ask permission from a supervisor before leaving the shop floor. They might want to provide cover for you, and they need to be able to keep track of staff...they can't have staff randomly wandering off when they feel like it. Unfortunately in retail a lot of staff do use loo breaks as an excuse to take a paid for break so it is right they monitor it (they haven't said they would deny you a loo break after all).

If you think you need a loo break every shift could you structure something such as them agreeing to let you have 5 mins off around 11:30 when it is quiet and in return you work until 1.05pm?

Without going into too many details I had to get used to having structured breaks rather than going to the loo when I felt like it and doing a 3 hour shift without a loo break should be possible 95% of the time. Try and avoid tea and coffee before a shift, and I usually avoid drinking much water in the 3 hours leading up to a shift then have a good drink 5 mins before I start.

mum2ellie

Also, from a health point of view it is not advisable to wait too long to go to the toilet as it can result in some problems. I know it sounds a bit melodramatic but worth throwing into the discussion with your supervisors. If I were you I would keep a diary of all these kinds of incidents to back you up if it doesn't get resolved and the 'managers' continue to make life difficult for you, just in case you need to take matters further.

Obukit

Perhaps try to see this from your manager's point of view. They are paid more mainly because it is their job to keep track of staff and make sure they are working hard. I know for you this isn't the case but a lot of staff use a "quick toilet break" as an excuse for a 15 min chat on their phone etc.

You say you don't want to be treated like a four year old but at the moment, in my opinion, this is how you are acting - no adult suddenly HAS to go to the toilet that second, and your team leader wants to know where you are - so just say about 15 mins before you want to go, "Do you mind when it's quiet if I quickly use the toilet?". They're happy and will probably be sure to find time to send you, and you don't get it in the neck.

Trust me, for a team leader there's nothing more embarrassing than your manager asking where a member of staff is and you having to say you don't have a clue - and this is the position you are putting your TL/AM in.

mum2ellie

Sorry to disagree Obukit, some adults do need to go to the toilet 'that second', there are several conditions that result in an urgency to visit the toilet, so it's not really reasonable to compare adults who may be suffering with one of these conditions to children.

From what MrsAlice says, she is being dealt with in a heavy handed way. She has worked there for 7 years and doesn't appear to have taken liberties or surely she would not have retained employment. No person, whether they are your boss or not has the right to talk to you in a derogatory manner. Demanding she say '??? please may I go to the toilet' is not the behaviour of a reasonable team leader at all. Rather someone who has over inflated views of their position.

And I do speak from experience, I was so badly bullied at work that I had a breakdown. If she doesn't stand up for herself and get things sorted now then it will only get worse.

Lavendyr

Obukit wrote: »

Trust me, for a team leader there's nothing more embarrassing than your manager asking where a member of staff is and you having to say you don't have a clue - and this is the position you are putting your TL/AM in.

Fine, but absolutely no need for said team leader to treat staff in such a patronising manner. An acceptable course of action for a team leader to take, should he/she have a concern, would be for them to take the staff member aside and politely ask if they would mind letting them know when they need the toilet, so that cover can be arranged.

paulwf

mum2ellie wrote: »

Sorry to disagree Obukit, some adults do need to go to the toilet 'that second', there are several conditions that result in an urgency to visit the toilet, so it's not really reasonable to compare adults who may be suffering with one of these conditions to children.

True, but I don't think Obukit meant it that way...for anybody without an illness/condition like this they should be able to hang on until a supervisor can be found.

No person, whether they are your boss or not has the right to talk to you in a derogatory manner. Demanding she say '??? please may I go to the toilet' is not the behaviour of a reasonable team leader at all.

Not reasonable, but they may have over reacted as it wasn't very professional to wander off the shop floor without permission. There's plenty of jobs where you'll get more stress than this. In reality you wouldn't have to ask like this, things can be conveyed in a few words "be back in a min" or a
gesture and a nod back from them if the supervisor is with a customer...it's just courtesy to make some indication you are going off for a minute.

ClareEmily

I think you should every hour wave your arm around like a loony and at the top of your voice shout I NEED THE LOO CAN I GO PLEASEEE I'M BUSTING, they are treating you like a child, start acting like one. Sounds like you work with some idiots with no common sense, everyone should be relieved so they can have a 2 min break.

-BA-

If you both profess to be adults I don't see why a sensible compromise can't be agreed upon. A simple statement of, "I am just taking a comfort break and ........ is covering for me" should suffice. Offer compromises and they are more likely to be taken seriously.