Dept Store Working Hours With No Break

maninthestreet

Truegho wrote: »

What, "get used to it?" Oh sure! Being rushed off your aching feet for hours on end - without even being allowed to quench your agonisingly parched throat either - is DEFINITELY something every slave-driven shop worker can get used to!

Access to drinking water is a legal requirement, and is unrelated to any breaks you get.

paulwf

Some people seem to expect or even want work to be the hardest most miserable experience possible. Work doesn't have to be like that.

I work in retail and don't like to go more than 3 hours without as break as your throat does get very dry talking to customers. If I'm not on tills I might be lugging stock around...which can make you hot and thirsty even at this time of year. Sure I could drink more before a shift but then I'd want the loo instead of having a dry throat.

Although the law states 6 hours before a break I think where I work is fairly standard by offering a break if working over 4 hours (which means you have the break roughly halfway so a break after 2-3 hours).

Breaks in retail are generally unpaid, so although a manager needs to schedule cover it isn't a major hardship to them. Retail is also non-stop...you can't do anything at your own pace if there is a big queue of customers. You also generally can't have a drink or go to the loo whilst on shift...totally different to many office based jobs.

OP...ask your manager if you can have an unpaid break scheduled into your rota. If you can't at least request having a water bottle and how to get cover for a loo break.

I've done 13 hour days after walking 2 hours to work in the rain yada yada yada and can work my !!!! off with the best of them...I still think employers and employees should work together to create a pleasant work environment. if nothing else a refreshed member of staff will be much more productive than one that is dehydrated and has their legs crossed!

Zazen999

Vader123 wrote: »

Not quite sure why that only applies and hinders girls!

Vader

Because boys have been known to pee behind a tree. So I've heard.

Jakg

Truegho wrote: »

What, "get used to it?" Oh sure! Being rushed off your aching feet for hours on end - without even being allowed to quench your agonisingly parched throat either - is DEFINITELY something every slave-driven shop worker can get used to!

Oh no, poor you...!

oh no wait i've been doing that for the last 18 months :rolleyes:

Metranil_Vavin

:rotfl::rotfl::rotfl::rotfl::rotfl::rotfl::rotfl:

paulwf

C_Mababejive wrote: »

Now you know why millions prefer to sit on their backsides at home either skiving or pretending to be sick.

Not sure whether that comment was being sarcastic or not but it doesn't matter. I've quoted it because it reminds me of a chat I had with a couple of ladies setting up an occupational health consultancy to work with large businesses.

Essentially their experience in the industry had demonstrated that a rigid approach from employers had a detrimental approach on staff attendance. An example is that if an employee is running 10 minutes late and the employer is going to penalise them for this the employee would rather call in sick and head back home.

I would extend this to retail. If an employee has a moderate cold you can usually get through a shift due to regular breaks. With a 6 hour non-stop shift at the first sign of illness you know you aren't going to get through it and will have to call in sick.

Sure a business needs to have structure. But at the same time flexibility (e.g. letting the 10 minutes late worker finish 10 minutes later) can reap rewards for both parties.

Lets drop the Victorian workhouse attitude. Happy employees cost employers a lot less.

Anihilator

Truegho wrote: »

Does anybody know the full rules regarding entitlement to a break when working for a department store? I have just started as a Christmas temp for a large store, and apparently I cannot have a break until I have worked at least SIX HOURS per day! The job is physically exhausting, as I am on my feet for the hours I am contracted to, which are normally four-to five hours per day. Is this right that they can deny me a break, as I have heard that in some stores the staff are entitled to a 15 minute break after just two hours of working?

Finally got a job have you. I wonder why it took so long when you think this is worth moaning about.

4-5 Hours is part time so of course you don't get breaks.

Retail stores deliberately go for shorter shifts so staff don't need breaks etc

Maybe you should just be grateful that you finally found someone who looked past your crap CV and experience and that you are no longer scrounging off the taxpayer although with your attitude I give that a few weeks.

sequence

paulwf wrote: »

Not sure whether that comment was being sarcastic or not but it doesn't matter. I've quoted it because it reminds me of a chat I had with a couple of ladies setting up an occupational health consultancy to work with large businesses.

Essentially their experience in the industry had demonstrated that a rigid approach from employers had a detrimental approach on staff attendance. An example is that if an employee is running 10 minutes late and the employer is going to penalise them for this the employee would rather call in sick and head back home.

I would extend this to retail. If an employee has a moderate cold you can usually get through a shift due to regular breaks. With a 6 hour non-stop shift at the first sign of illness you know you aren't going to get through it and will have to call in sick.

Sure a business needs to have structure. But at the same time flexibility (e.g. letting the 10 minutes late worker finish 10 minutes later) can reap rewards for both parties.

Lets drop the Victorian workhouse attitude. Happy employees cost employers a lot less.

Outstanding post! Unfortunately most managers in the country have no clue about these things - and never will.

Roobarb73

What everyone else has said really about the 6hr/20 min break thing in terms of Working Time Regs, but it is a bit unreasonable if they don't even let you take a couple of minutes to take a drink of water/go to the loo

Jokaty82

I used to work in a big well known retail department store, and my mum still works in retail.

Most department store bosses will let you go to the toilet. Have you even asked if you need to go can you leave the shop floor? If you need the loo, you need the loo. My employers had no problem with this as long as people didnt take the mick, which they didnt.

My mum often works these type of shifts, often 10 - 3 which is over lunch hours, so quite often missing a meal. She asked if she could have a break and then work til 3.20, they said fine.

Why dont you ask your employer? And others please dont imply that by working in an office, sitting down and having regular loo breaks that it is somehow not hard work!!!