Help regarding toilet breaks

furthest

InsideInsurance wrote: »

Really? If your colleague always came in 50 minutes late to work any no one ever said anything to them would you be equally happy?

To colleagues they just see the person disappear all the time and have no idea if they are going to the loo for a call of nature, to check their emails, going for a drink or something else.

Have you ever worked in a call centre type environment? Many are terribly soul destroying places and people have become so tetchy that they'll pick up on anything. Even had it said that it was unfair that one person always was the one to get the manager their coffee rather than the team taking it in turns to do it for the manager.

There is a big difference between a colleague coming in late 50 minutes and a person with a medical condition having to take frequent trips to the bathroom. One cannot be avoided.

I have never worked in a call centre environment, so I am not going to comment on the working conditions or morale. However I have worked in places where reasonable adjustments were made to make life more comfortable for those suffering from medical conditions.

furthest

wiogs wrote: »

It depends of course if those extra frequent breaks impact on the persons ability to do the job.

If they do then I would happily "whine"

You are going to whine about a person with a medical condition having to use the bathroom more often? Lovely.

tomtontom

furthest wrote: »

There is a big difference between a colleague coming in late 50 minutes and a person with a medical condition having to take frequent trips to the bathroom. One cannot be avoided.

I have never worked in a call centre environment, so I am not going to comment on the working conditions or morale. However I have worked in places where reasonable adjustments were made to make life more comfortable for those suffering from medical conditions.

It has already been explained that the employee's throat problem should not result in excessive toilet breaks - if the water is passing through her so quickly she is drinking too much.

furthest

tomtontom wrote: »

It has already been explained that the employee's throat problem should not result in excessive toilet breaks - if the water is passing through her so quickly she is drinking too much.

Maybe she just has a small bladder.

tomtontom

furthest wrote: »

Maybe she just has a small bladder.

In which case she needs to drink more slowly. Water leaving the body is not going to help your throat, irrespective of bladder size!

Takeaway_Addict

furthest wrote: »

There is a big difference between a colleague coming in late 50 minutes and a person with a medical condition having to take frequent trips to the bathroom. One cannot be avoided.

I have never worked in a call centre environment, so I am not going to comment on the working conditions or morale. However I have worked in places where reasonable adjustments were made to make life more comfortable for those suffering from medical conditions.

People have already said that medical reasons are covered and that reasonable adjustments should be made but the OP isn't covered by the equality act and the example give to you did not mention medical issues

pimento

InsideInsurance wrote: »

Really? If your colleague always came in 50 minutes late to work any no one ever said anything to them would you be equally happy?

To colleagues they just see the person disappear all the time and have no idea if they are going to the loo for a call of nature, to check their emails, going for a drink or something else.

Have you ever worked in a call centre type environment? Many are terribly soul destroying places and people have become so tetchy that they'll pick up on anything. Even had it said that it was unfair that one person always was the one to get the manager their coffee rather than the team taking it in turns to do it for the manager.

I'm surprised that you haven't suggested the OP's wife wear a nappy.

wiogs

furthest wrote: »

You are going to whine about a person with a medical condition having to use the bathroom more often? Lovely.

Nope. I didn't mention anything about a medical condition merely the persons ability to do the job.

aileth

InsideInsurance wrote: »

So you go once and hour and take 5 minutes per time. The OP says its a 10 hour shift and so you are spending 50 minutes in the loo.

Your colleague has normal habits and goes during their official breaks instead. So basically works an extra hour over what you do every day.

You may think its ridiculous that an employer would monitor it, your colleagues may think its ridiculous that you get paid the same as them when your only doing a 9 hour shift

Where did I say it takes me five minutes? The toilet is right next to my office and it probably takes 1-2 at most.

So what if you are desperate to go, but know you can't as you'll get in trouble?

Some days I only need to go once or twice, however other days, regardless of not drinking any more, I'll have to go every hour. As soon as I break the seal, that's it.

If a colleague was going to the toilet more frequently than me and thus not 'working as much', I literally couldn't give a toss. It's not like they were sneaking off for a cigarette, or going for a gossip, or like you say being late or taking unauthorised breaks to doss about. That's a totally different ball park. If you need to go, you need to go.

You shouldn't have to be double-checking whether you're 'okay' to relieve yourself. Heck, that is like something in primary or secondary school, "Please miss, can I go to the toilet?"

InsideInsurance

Takeaway_Addict wrote: »

People have already said that medical reasons are covered and that reasonable adjustments should be made but the OP isn't covered by the equality act and the example give to you did not mention medical issues

Agreed, no mention about medical issues anywhere for the need for reasonable adjustments. Likewise the idea of offering to work back the additional lost time was totally ignored which would be a reasonable adjustment.

People take the pïss and so employers have to have rules in force to stop them. Particularly in jobs which are high volume, low skill and typically poor engagement.

Go into the toilets and you always hear people tapping away on their mobiles in the stalls. No employer/ manager is ever going to have an acceptable way of judging who goes to the loo 10 times a shift because they have undiagnosed bladder/bowel issues and whos going in there to try and get past the next level of Candy Crush.