Can they get away with this - working hours

Pennylass

A friend works for a well known Bookmakers . She gets in at 8am to open for 9.Whereas a cashier would normally get in for 11am the employers are now cutting their hours and they are not required until 1pm . So my friend is supposed to run this very busy shop on their own for 4 hours .It's not as if you can put a notice on the door saying "back in 5 mins" if you need the toilet for instance .
She is a valued long serving manager of the shop but feels this is the last straw as her concerns have been ignored .
Any thoughts or advice welcome .

HappyMJ

She can take a quick loo break if necessary but this should really be done at 8:50am just before she opens the doors at 9.00am. Is the till behind a glass panel? Maybe she might just have to close the shop for a few minutes in an emergency. The working time directive advice is to not work more than 5 hours at a stretch. She can take a break at 8:50am starting again 10 minutes later and 9.00am to 1.00pm is only 4 hours so it's fine....and really with the kind of work it is she can have several coffee breaks...maybe that's what leading to the need for a loo break.

anamenottaken

HappyMJ wrote: »

She can take a quick loo break if necessary but this should really be done at 8:50am just before she opens the doors at 9.00am. Is the till behind a glass panel? Maybe she might just have to close the shop for a few minutes in an emergency. The working time directive advice is to not work more than 5 hours at a stretch. She can take a break at 8:50am starting again 10 minutes later and 9.00am to 1.00pm is only 4 hours so it's fine....and really with the kind of work it is she can have several coffee breaks...maybe that's what leading to the need for a loo break.

Where is this in the Regulations, please?

kingfisherblue

My understanding is that if someone works over six hours, they are entitled to a break of 20 minutes. I've never heard anything about five hours.

MissSarah1972

Are we saying seriously now the employer can stop you for going to the loo?

anamenottaken

Pennylass wrote: »

A friend works for a well known Bookmakers . She gets in at 8am to open for 9.Whereas a cashier would normally get in for 11am the employers are now cutting their hours and they are not required until 1pm . So my friend is supposed to run this very busy shop on their own for 4 hours .It's not as if you can put a notice on the door saying "back in 5 mins" if you need the toilet for instance .
She is a valued long serving manager of the shop but feels this is the last straw as her concerns have been ignored .
Any thoughts or advice welcome .

Has a risk assessment been done for a lone worker in such an establishment?

Googlewhacker

Obviously not busy enough if they don't deem a cashier is needed until after most of the lunch period.

As has been said, goto the toilet before she opens the store up to the public and if needs be then yes lock the door for 5 minutes with a sign up)

Pennylass

Googlewhacker wrote: »

Obviously not busy enough if they don't deem a cashier is needed until after most of the lunch period.

As has been said, goto the toilet before she opens the store up to the public and if needs be then yes lock the door for 5 minutes with a sign up)

Yes far too busy but the employers don't care - they want individuals to work harder to increase their profits .
So how would you go about evacuating 20 -30 gamblers glued to a live race ? Maybe shout fire ! Then they wouldn't even take notice - well not until the race was over ......
You don't have a job do you ?

sharpy2010

Pennylass wrote: »

Yes far too busy but the employers don't care - they want individuals to work harder to increase their profits .
So how would you go about evacuating 20 -30 gamblers glued to a live race ? Maybe shout fire ! Then they wouldn't even take notice - well not until the race was over ......
You don't have a job do you ?

I was thinking exactly the same... how on earth would you get 20 or so people to leave the shop... you couldn't!

Its the same everywhere, hours are being cut, and more "laws" are being broken by employers every day. Employees are too scared to whistle blow, as they don't want to lose their job.

sprite1508

this might help........... the working time directive,

http://www.community-tu.org/information/101482/101486/102764/hours/

i work 12 hours and get 1 x 30 min and 1 x 15 min break (if im lucky) i work in an emergency serivce

ktothema

MissSarah1972 wrote: »

Are we saying seriously now the employer can stop you for going to the loo?

I know this sounds stupid but yes, I think they can. I certainly know call centre staff at a company I worked for, and also a company I tempted for had designated breaks and you had to wait until then.

I'd never cope now, I suffer with irritable bowel, I never know when I'm going to have an attack but when I do I'd never be able to sit and wait for a break to come up.

OP, you friend doesn't have any medical condition like me? May help her slightly.