Just wondering if this is allowed

cal123321

I work as a sales assistant at a well known high street chain.

On the staff notice board it says employees must be on the shop floor at least five minutes before the start of their shifts. Not being on the shop floor at least five minutes before is considered to be being late for work and three instances of lateness in three months may result in a disciplinary.

We are told to wait until the exact minute our shift starts to clock in and employees are paid by the hour.

Would the company be able to take a disciplinary action against me if I were to go on the shop floor exactly when my shift starts rather than 5 mins before or would this not be legal?

Additionally would being required to work an extra 5 minutes unpaid every day be regarded as "wage theft" or is this common practice.
Thanks

FireWyrm

cal123321 wrote: »

Additionally would being required to work an extra 5 minutes unpaid every day be regarded as "wage theft" or is this common practice.
Thanks

It is a pretty normal if hated part of working in a shop. Staff usually make it up other ways...toilet breaks, extra minute on the break, that sort of thing.

Just what were you hoping to achieve? For the loss of 5 minutes of your day, galling as it is, you have a job. Challenging established practice will get you nowhere but fired, plenty more people where you came from. Sorry to be harsh, but this is quite normal and if you disagree with the working conditions versus pay ratio, you are perfectly entitled to find something else more suitable for you.

bluenoseam

This might be a mindset thing, but I wouldn't dream of turning up for a shift only 5 minutes before hand - that's late to me. I arrive early so I can find out what's going on, how we're doing figures wise, has anything significant changed or is there anything else I should know about. Maybe it's the fact that when I grew up we weren't told that the mindset was "minimum wage, minimum effort" and more "you're here to work" but to me showing up 5 minutes before a shift should be considered at the very least "good practice".

Though from what you're saying it does sound horribly reminiscent of a well known warehouse containing sub-standard "sporting" goods run by an obese person.

getmore4less

It counts as work time for min wage calculations.

That's your only real angle but would need good records to pursue that's why they want you clocking in on time.

You have to look at the bigger picture, if you have things like paid breaks, claiming those 5 mins could result in unpaid breaks.

This is one of those "pick your battles" situations.

tykesi

bluenoseam wrote: »

This might be a mindset thing, but I wouldn't dream of turning up for a shift only 5 minutes before hand - that's late to me. I arrive early so I can find out what's going on, how we're doing figures wise, has anything significant changed or is there anything else I should know about. Maybe it's the fact that when I grew up we weren't told that the mindset was "minimum wage, minimum effort" and more "you're here to work" but to me showing up 5 minutes before a shift should be considered at the very least "good practice".

Though from what you're saying it does sound horribly reminiscent of a well known warehouse containing sub-standard "sporting" goods run by an obese person.

But this is what you get paid to do, if you're doing it in your own time you're not getting paid!

I have done the whole turning up early thing before and it gets you no more recognition than turning up on time. My time is precious to me so if I'm not getting paid, the company don't get anything from me until I am.

colino

It is very much a mindset thing. Staff are paid to work, not be on the way to where they work or be quite close.

BoJangles_2

Most companies expect their employees to turn up in good time to so that they can be ready to start their job at the time they are due to start, not 5 minutes or 20 minutes after the fact. Whether this be 20 minutes before because there might be a queue for the lift or 5 minutes before to allow time for their pc to switch on.

getmore4less

BoJangles wrote: »

Most companies expect their employees to turn up in good time to so that they can be ready to start their job at the time they are due to start, not 5 minutes or 20 minutes after the fact. Whether this be 20 minutes before because there might be a queue for the lift or 5 minutes before to allow time for their pc to switch on.

Switching a PC on would be work time.

Undervalued

tykesi wrote: »

My time is precious to me so if I'm not getting paid, the company don't get anything from me until I am.

And you of course work at your full capacity for every second of the time you are paid for?

No, I rather thought not!

BoJangles_2

getmore4less wrote: »

Switching a PC on would be work time.

Not where I work!

kazzah

every retail place I have worked in was the same- your working hours were deemed to be 8.50am until 5.45pm - which store opening being 9 am until 5.30pm

in one large department store I was employed at the staff cloakroom was 5 floors away from my department and no outdoor clothing was allowed on the shop floor- so you HAD to be there at least 5-10 minutes before 8.50 to even leave your coat and get to the shop floor on time.

this was ALL explained to me when I was interviewed and I accepted the role knowing this - so no problem...... of course we sneaked the odd minute here and there when " checking the stock room " for items not on the shop floor at the customers request..........and popping to the cash office or bank for extra change.........via another department _REALLY think the OP needs a lesson in real life !!