[Tedaus]

(Original post by gemnomnom)
It is somewhat of a harsh reality. How long have you worked there?

About 8 months. And it's not a harsh reality if you stand up for yourself (or have a decent union), in my opinion

[ChestnutMare92]

It wasn't that bad really, everyone has bad days... I think it's quite common for people to work extra at tills and such when waiting for somebody to cover. However, it sounds like there were other people around to cover. Huffing and puffing wasn't great, but there's not much you can do about it now. I'd go for a calm, cool approach next time, with a big smile. Fake it and be really cheerful, maybe say "GREAT! Overtime pay!" - that's bound to get the supervisor or manager to get another employee to take your station.

I'm a fan of killing with kindness in these kind of situations. It wasn't brilliant, but there's no reason to be continuously slammed for it.

[ekudamram]

(Original post by Tedaus)
You seem to want to agree with them no matter what because you've got the idea that you don't like me based on some forum posts. Five hours without a break or lunch is unreasonable and you know it.

By the way, they still ask me in for over time because I'm hard working, good with customers and am willing to help when they ask and pay me. When they take the piss is when I object.

It's actually six hours you have to work before you are entitled to a rest break (unpaid) of around 20 minutes.

http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/employme...ff/dg_10029451

[Tedaus]

(Original post by ekudamram)
It's actually six hours you have to work before you are entitled to a rest break (unpaid) of around 20 minutes.

http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/employme...ff/dg_10029451

She was working a 9 hour shift, in which we get two fifteen minute breaks and an hour lunch. She worked five hours of that 9 hour shift and then finally got a break. We normally do about 2 hours, then a break, then two hours, then lunch, then two hours, then a break, then two hours, then home.

If she had been doing a 6 hour shift, she would get one 15 minute break and a half hour, but she wasn't, she was working 8 hours. That's what is in our contract.

[ekudamram]

If you look at the link I sent you, it states that your employer can say when you take your break, as long as it meets the other conditions.

[Tedaus]

(Original post by ekudamram)
If you look at the link I sent you, it states that your employer can say when you take your break, as long as it meets the other conditions.

Obviously they can? But there's no need for them to be a complete dick and not give her a break when she's worked 5 hours.

You can guarantee, if she makes a mistake, she's the one taking all of the blame and even if she goes "I didn't have a break for 5 hours", they'll go "why didn't you ask for one then?"

[ekudamram]

(Original post by Tedaus)
Obviously they can? But there's no need for them to be a complete dick and not give her a break when she's worked 5 hours.

You can guarantee, if she makes a mistake, she's the one taking all of the blame and even if she goes "I didn't have a break for 5 hours", they'll go "why didn't you ask for one then?"

No they wouldn't. Because if you cant work 5 hours (or two in your case) without bitching and moaning, then something is seriously wrong. What about when you enter the real world and need to work a 40 hour week, with only half an hour lunch a day? That's a normal week.

I've worked 10 hour shifts without a break, I've also worked a night shift and then the early morning shift the next day. It's normal to have to do this when you work in the retail/service industry.

[Tedaus]

(Original post by ekudamram)
No they wouldn't. Because if you cant work 5 hours (or two in your case) without bitching and moaning, then something is seriously wrong. What about when you enter the real world and need to work a 40 hour week, with only half an hour lunch a day? That's a normal week.

I've worked 10 hour shifts without a break, I've also worked a night shift and then the early morning shift the next day. It's normal to have to do this when you work in the retail/service industry.

I'm not arguing about this; it's not even to do with me, it was just an example. The point is we always get a break/lunch every two hours and she didn't and everyone else did. That's it.

[Sky_Dream]

Personally, I feel as though your manager should have planned properly and your colleague should have gone on her break at a time that meant there wouldn't be a situation where no one was there to man the tills. What if you had an urgent appointment to go to? What would she have done then?

If I was on good terms with the manager and it was a one off I'd have stayed the extra few minutes without getting too fussed about it. However I've worked at companies where I've happily stayed late/worked overtime/come in at short notice and instead of appreciating it they still treated me badly because they knew I was easily replaceable.

In short, the probability of me apologising personally depends on the situation. In some jobs I would have absolutely stayed and would have apologised if I had acted the way you did, in other jobs I wouldn't have as it just came down to poor planning on the manager's part, not some unexpected problem that occurred.

[tsveta]

it was five minutes.....

[Sky_Dream]

(Original post by ekudamram)
No they wouldn't. Because if you cant work 5 hours (or two in your case) without bitching and moaning, then something is seriously wrong. What about when you enter the real world and need to work a 40 hour week, with only half an hour lunch a day? That's a normal week.

I've worked 10 hour shifts without a break, I've also worked a night shift and then the early morning shift the next day. It's normal to have to do this when you work in the retail/service industry.

Legally, you shouldn't have worked a 10 hour shift without a break. It's not even about being in the real world or doing a favour for your manager, they can get into trouble if they expect you to work that long without a break.

[ekudamram]

Well, you are arguing about it.

You actually said you normally do two hours - break - two hours - lunch - two hours - break - two hours - home. This, I can't believe, as it seems ridiculous that in the retail industry you get so many breaks in one day, but that's up to your employer.

What else is up to your employer, is when you take said break, and I bet that the one time that this girl had to work the atrocious five hours was when there was again, no-one else to cover. But what you didn't say this girl did, was 'huff and puff' and close her till down.

I think you know you're in the wrong, and I suggest you do a bit of growing up

[ekudamram]

(Original post by Sky_Dream)
Legally, you shouldn't have worked a 10 hour shift without a break. It's not even about being in the real world or doing a favour for your manager, they can get into trouble if they expect you to work that long without a break.

I work part time, and so my average hours would be less than 48.
Plus, I was on my own for the shift and so although legally I am entitled to a break, I am not legally obliged to take one, so I chose not to as that would mean no-one would be served for at least 20 minutes

[Tedaus]

(Original post by ekudamram)
Well, you are arguing about it.

You actually said you normally do two hours - break - two hours - lunch - two hours - break - two hours - home. This, I can't believe, as it seems ridiculous that in the retail industry you get so many breaks in one day, but that's up to your employer.

What else is up to your employer, is when you take said break, and I bet that the one time that this girl had to work the atrocious five hours was when there was again, no-one else to cover. But what you didn't say this girl did, was 'huff and puff' and close her till down.

I think you know you're in the wrong, and I suggest you do a bit of growing up

I genuinely think I'm right and I said I'm not arguing because this is completely off topic but I can't believe you think it's okay.

And yes, we do get those breaks and it is a legal requirement that we get those:

http://www.fairwork.gov.au/industrie...es/breaks.aspx

Wherever you work is making a dick of you and breaking the law. Oh, but you won't say anything because you have grown up and you can't look like you want decent work conditions because that makes you a bad employee.

And yeah, the girl was pissed off and went and asked for it and they gave her one.

[Pawsies]

This really annoys me, I'd never speak to a supervisor like that and would take your job in a heartbeat and stay longer without moaning!

[Tedaus]

(Original post by Sky_Dream)
Personally, I feel as though your manager should have planned properly and your colleague should have gone on her break at a time that meant there wouldn't be a situation where no one was there to man the tills. What if you had an urgent appointment to go to? What would she have done then?

If I was on good terms with the manager and it was a one off I'd have stayed the extra few minutes without getting too fussed about it. However I've worked at companies where I've happily stayed late/worked overtime/come in at short notice and instead of appreciating it they still treated me badly because they knew I was easily replaceable.

In short, the probability of me apologising personally depends on the situation. In some jobs I would have absolutely stayed and would have apologised if I had acted the way you did, in other jobs I wouldn't have as it just came down to poor planning on the manager's part, not some unexpected problem that occurred.

Thank you. It's nice to read a response that didn't tell me I'm immature and I should just give up my time for my job without pay because they say I should.

I've said before, it's not about the 15 minutes. It's about the way they did it and how they would continue to in future that I wanted to prevent.

[Sky_Dream]

(Original post by ekudamram)
I work part time, and so my average hours would be less than 48.
Plus, I was on my own for the shift and so although legally I am entitled to a break, I am not legally obliged to take one, so I chose not to as that would mean no-one would be served for at least 20 minutes

By law you normally have the right to a 20 minute break if you are expected to work more than six hours at a stretch.

If the company left you alone for your shift and leaving the till meant no one would be served for at least 20 minutes, then surely they're in the wrong for not providing you with the opportunity to take a break that you are legally entitled to?

Regardless, my point was that it's unreasonable to argue that because you worked ten hours without a break then other people should as well, because they do have the right to a break after six hours.

[Sky_Dream]

(Original post by Tedaus)
Thank you. It's nice to read a response that didn't tell me I'm immature and I should just give up my time for my job without pay because they say I should.

I've said before, it's not about the 15 minutes. It's about the way they did it and how they would continue to in future that I wanted to prevent.

Really, from what I have been reading the problem lies with the supervisor being disorganised. If they had organised the breaks correctly there would have been no need to ask you to stay later.

[ekudamram]

(Original post by Tedaus)
I genuinely think I'm right and I said I'm not arguing because this is completely off topic but I can't believe you think it's okay.

And yes, we do get those breaks and it is a legal requirement that we get those:

http://www.fairwork.gov.au/industrie...es/breaks.aspx

Wherever you work is making a dick of you and breaking the law. Oh, but you won't say anything because you have grown up and you can't look like you want decent work conditions because that makes you a bad employee.

And yeah, the girl was pissed off and went and asked for it and they gave her one.

You gave me a link to the Australian government's website, so that's wrong.
And no, as said in a previous post, I choose sometimes not to take a break as it benefits the business as a whole and when it comes to me needing a favour, they come more easily.

I have brilliant work conditions. I work as part of a team who help eachother out. My manager will come in on his days off to help if it's too busy, if someone desperately needs a shift swap, someone else will help out.

The way you're acting about it now is childish, more so than your original tantrum

[Tedaus]

(Original post by ekudamram)
You gave me a link to the Australian government's website, so that's wrong.
And no, as said in a previous post, I choose sometimes not to take a break as it benefits the business as a whole and when it comes to me needing a favour, they come more easily.

I have brilliant work conditions. I work as part of a team who help eachother out. My manager will come in on his days off to help if it's too busy, if someone desperately needs a shift swap, someone else will help out.

The way you're acting about it now is childish, more so than your original tantrum

That might be an Australian website (I didn't see it was) but that's the same as it is in my contract.

Good for you. Why does that affect the thread or even the argument we're having off topic?

I don't care if I'm being "childish". You're wrong about this. And a 10 hour shift without a break is ridiculous. Did you get a lunch?