General Chat

Sorry if this is a bit long winded but would like some advice.

A friend who works for ther same company as myself has been given an official warning for refusing to work certain shifts but I think the manager/company is wrong.

We work in retail and the opening hours are 8am until 10 pm. The shop has to be open for business at 8am. Before this we are expected to balance and cash up from the previous day and stock out certain products that are delivered overnight. Paid work starts at 8am. The "day shift" is normally 8am until 6pm. Single manned, no lunch time or breaks although we are paid for the full 10 hours. Tills are cashed up for shift change at 6pm - with the best will in the world the earliest finish is 6.15pm.

Often expected to do a 6pm until 10pm shift, not finsihing until 10;15 at the earliest then do a 8am until 6pm the next day.

She has refused to do any further late then morning shifts unless it is for emergency cover because it is "knackering".

Officicial warning issued.

I thought that by law you have to have a minimum of 11 hours break between shifts. Am I correct or are they?

Libby

Yes there should be a 10 hour break between shifts, kindly mention that.

I found this on the internet:

http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Employment/Employees/WorkingHoursAndTimeOff/DG_10029451

Thanks for that.

Thought I would check. Looks like I was correct about the 11 hours break between days.

Will pass this info on, seems to be a problem within the company and/or managers.

Libby

Libby

You should be paid for evey hour you work. If you start work before the outlet is open then you should be paid for the hours you work.

If I remember rightly you also HAVE to have a break after 6 hours working.

I used to run a restaurant. At the time if any member of staff worked a shift of more than 6 hours, they had to have a break of at least 20 mins whether they wanted to take it or not.

Hi Chrisa

Knew that about the 20 minute break every 6 hours. Difficult when you are a lone worker though and are a loyal/stupid worker.

Have told my friend to appeal - hope she has the guts to.

All this for minimum wage. Sometimes think that employers take advantage of the low employment situation.

Legally the employer should provide either someone to cover for breaks and lunch time or they should close for that time.
Also they can not force staff into doing overtime and I think the same law still stands from my days in Personnel... the 3 warnings system 1st verbal 2nd written 3 official

When I worked at a supermarket during college and uni holidays, I think if you were doing a shift of less than 4 hours, you didn't get a break. 4-6 hour shifts meant 15 mins break, 6-8 hours was 30 mins plus 15 mins (taken separately), 9 hours was 1 hour plus 2x 15 mins (taken as 3 breaks) and 10 hours was 1 hour for lunch plus 30 mins either taken together or as 2x 15 mins.

We used to juggle the till cover and wines and spirits cover etc round - so if there were three of us in there, one went for dinner at 12, one at 12.30 and the 3rd at 1pm when the first came back.

Mind you, where I worked was very sneaky - I always seemed to be the student who got landed with all the overtime because I couldn't say no. They would often come up to you on a Monday night, when your only day off all week was Tuesday and ask you to work Tuesday. As someone said, especially if you're a student working in your holidays, your employer assumes you haven't got any other commitments.

I think few companies value their employees, my o.h's company treat their staff like slaves. My son is lucky that he seems valued and his boss has been very good to him. Better than when he worked for Coral's.
Hope your friend can get this sorted out without too much hassle and the company start treating their staff properly and lawfully.
Lizx