was this illegal?
Hi,
So i work for a major electrical retailer and seeing as it was the busiest day of the year, our manager made us work 6 hours straight without any break, didnt even get lunch. Obv i feel exhausted and tired now , not to mention the fact that we were all starving after being on our toes all day today.
As i was havin my dinner (lunch?), i was jus thinkin whether if what he made us do was illegal today? I.E made us work for 6 hours straight without ANY breaks??
Thanks
So i work for a major electrical retailer and seeing as it was the busiest day of the year, our manager made us work 6 hours straight without any break, didnt even get lunch. Obv i feel exhausted and tired now , not to mention the fact that we were all starving after being on our toes all day today.
As i was havin my dinner (lunch?), i was jus thinkin whether if what he made us do was illegal today? I.E made us work for 6 hours straight without ANY breaks??
Thanks
Scroll to see replies
Original post by Anonymous
Hi,
So i work for a major electrical retailer and seeing as it was the busiest day of the year, our manager made us work 6 hours straight without any break, didnt even get lunch. Obv i feel exhausted and tired now , not to mention the fact that we were all starving after being on our toes all day today.
As i was havin my dinner (lunch?), i was jus thinkin whether if what he made us do was illegal today? I.E made us work for 6 hours straight without ANY breaks??
Thanks
So i work for a major electrical retailer and seeing as it was the busiest day of the year, our manager made us work 6 hours straight without any break, didnt even get lunch. Obv i feel exhausted and tired now , not to mention the fact that we were all starving after being on our toes all day today.
As i was havin my dinner (lunch?), i was jus thinkin whether if what he made us do was illegal today? I.E made us work for 6 hours straight without ANY breaks??
Thanks
It depends how old you are. If you're over 18, you're not obliged to have any breaks up to 8 hours. After 8 hours, you have to have a 20 minute break by law.
no.
he knows the law, if you go here
http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Employment/Employees/WorkingHoursAndTimeOff/DG_10029451
Rest breaks - a break during your working day
As an adult worker (over 18), you will normally have the right to a 20 minute rest break if you are expected to work more than six hours at a stretch.
he knows the law, if you go here
http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Employment/Employees/WorkingHoursAndTimeOff/DG_10029451
Rest breaks - a break during your working day
As an adult worker (over 18), you will normally have the right to a 20 minute rest break if you are expected to work more than six hours at a stretch.
What nuodai said
I used to work somewhere that didn't give a balls about the law. I worked 10 hours straight once stood on a till I was practically in a dead faint lol. After pestering them for about 3 hours I was finally grudgingly given my 40 minute break then another 3 hours on. Lovely. Never work for Lidl, it's as close to slave labour as you'll get in a legit job in Britain imo!
I used to work somewhere that didn't give a balls about the law. I worked 10 hours straight once stood on a till I was practically in a dead faint lol. After pestering them for about 3 hours I was finally grudgingly given my 40 minute break then another 3 hours on. Lovely. Never work for Lidl, it's as close to slave labour as you'll get in a legit job in Britain imo!
Original post by aws
no.
he knows the law, if you go here
http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Employment/Employees/WorkingHoursAndTimeOff/DG_10029451
Rest breaks - a break during your working day
As an adult worker (over 18), you will normally have the right to a 20 minute rest break if you are expected to work more than six hours at a stretch.
he knows the law, if you go here
http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Employment/Employees/WorkingHoursAndTimeOff/DG_10029451
Rest breaks - a break during your working day
As an adult worker (over 18), you will normally have the right to a 20 minute rest break if you are expected to work more than six hours at a stretch.
Yea mayn he is indeed a very cunning and a sly dog
. The shift technically ended at the 6th hour however we spent another 20-30 minutes is briefing, closing down etc.Original post by nuodai
It depends how old you are. If you're over 18, you're not obliged to have any breaks up to 8 hours. After 8 hours, you have to have a 20 minute break by law.
19 mate
http://www.adviceguide.org.uk/index/your_money/employment/basic_rights_at_work.htm#Health_and_safety
"Adult workers are entitled to eleven hours consecutive rest per day, and a minimum 20 minute rest break if their working day is longer than six hours. Adolescent workers are entitled to 12 hours consecutive rest per day, and a minimum 30 minute rest break if they work for longer than four and a half hours."
So that's the law - what breaks you're entitled to apparently depends on your age.
Also, you should have agreed what lunch breaks / other breaks you can take when agreeing your working hours / pay with your employer before you started the job, and how flexible these can be. These are the terms of the your employment. And your employer cannot change them without agreeing them with you again. Of course, if you do not agree to the new terms, then your employer can ask you to leave (with proper notice etc.).
However, in practice, it's best to have a good relationship with your employer and understand the needs of their business. Retail work is naturally cyclical - there will be days when the shop is quiet, and there will be days when the shop is busy. In the busy periods, it's understandable that an employer might not want you to take your breaks. To do this though, they should properly ask you to waive your entitlement to them. If you are straight told that you should not take your break, then you should push back and ask how this will be compensated. Or, you may agree and just see it as part of the job sometimes, and that keeping your employer happy with you is a good thing.
Most people, I suspect, opt for the latter.
EDIT: Interestingly, the DirectGov link above lists an exception to the entitlement I've referenced:
"The rights to breaks apply differently to you if:
* you have to travel a long distance from your home to get to work
* you constantly work in different places making it difficult to work to a set pattern
* you are doing security or surveillance-based work
* you are working in an industry with busy peak periods, like agriculture, retail or tourism"
So it looks like it's fine, to be honest.
"Adult workers are entitled to eleven hours consecutive rest per day, and a minimum 20 minute rest break if their working day is longer than six hours. Adolescent workers are entitled to 12 hours consecutive rest per day, and a minimum 30 minute rest break if they work for longer than four and a half hours."
So that's the law - what breaks you're entitled to apparently depends on your age.
Also, you should have agreed what lunch breaks / other breaks you can take when agreeing your working hours / pay with your employer before you started the job, and how flexible these can be. These are the terms of the your employment. And your employer cannot change them without agreeing them with you again. Of course, if you do not agree to the new terms, then your employer can ask you to leave (with proper notice etc.).
However, in practice, it's best to have a good relationship with your employer and understand the needs of their business. Retail work is naturally cyclical - there will be days when the shop is quiet, and there will be days when the shop is busy. In the busy periods, it's understandable that an employer might not want you to take your breaks. To do this though, they should properly ask you to waive your entitlement to them. If you are straight told that you should not take your break, then you should push back and ask how this will be compensated. Or, you may agree and just see it as part of the job sometimes, and that keeping your employer happy with you is a good thing.
Most people, I suspect, opt for the latter.
EDIT: Interestingly, the DirectGov link above lists an exception to the entitlement I've referenced:
"The rights to breaks apply differently to you if:
* you have to travel a long distance from your home to get to work
* you constantly work in different places making it difficult to work to a set pattern
* you are doing security or surveillance-based work
* you are working in an industry with busy peak periods, like agriculture, retail or tourism"
So it looks like it's fine, to be honest.
(edited 13 years ago)
try 10 hours without a ****ing break 
Whores have to work harder than that.
Original post by Anonymous
Yea mayn he is indeed a very cunning and a sly dog . The shift technically ended at the 6th hour however we spent another 20-30 minutes is briefing, closing down etc.
. The shift technically ended at the 6th hour however we spent another 20-30 minutes is briefing, closing down etc.it's boxing day, what did you expect
check the company policy. In my retail store I would have been entitled to a 20 minute break in that time. If you know you're working that long, then mention it to the manager?
Original post by Insiya
OMG !! I hate myself for viewing her picture. She is so going to attack me in my dreams. She looks sooo disastrous.
Yikes !! Oh God...Bless the food she is consuming.
I bet .. the food that she eats a day if distributed to the poor sections of society..none would have to go to bed with an empty stomach.
Yikes !! Oh God...Bless the food she is consuming.
I bet .. the food that she eats a day if distributed to the poor sections of society..none would have to go to bed with an empty stomach.
Wrong thread?
Original post by supernova92
Wrong thread?
Oops !! Sorry.
I have deleted it. Will now post it right.
Original post by nuodai
It depends how old you are. If you're over 18, you're not obliged to have any breaks up to 8 hours. After 8 hours, you have to have a 20 minute break by law.
You are entitled to a 20 min break every 6 hours not 8.
OP if you are classed as an adult worker then your manager was within his rights to make you work six hours straight. Its not pleasant but hardly breaking the law and on boxing day sales needs of the business would dictate every hand on deck needed. And a six hour shift is a damn short day especially in retail
Original post by Anonymous
Yea mayn he is indeed a very cunning and a sly dog . The shift technically ended at the 6th hour however we spent another 20-30 minutes is briefing, closing down etc.
. The shift technically ended at the 6th hour however we spent another 20-30 minutes is briefing, closing down etc.Were you paid for it? Is it contracted that you are expected to stay after your working day for unpaid work? (If it falls under the remit or is associated with the job it is work) If not your on your time and you can leave
(edited 13 years ago)
I would check your contract just to make sure, but its not ILLEGAL, just maybe against company policy.
I worked at McDonalds for 8/9 hour days and they would often give me my break after the legal minimum amount of time being there (I think they can't give it to you if you've been there less than an hour or something?). I would often be working 6/7 hours straight without a break. Next time make large heavy metal objects fall on top of you... I got a 10 minute paid break when that happened, but I did have Mac Sauce all down my back...
I worked at McDonalds for 8/9 hour days and they would often give me my break after the legal minimum amount of time being there (I think they can't give it to you if you've been there less than an hour or something?). I would often be working 6/7 hours straight without a break. Next time make large heavy metal objects fall on top of you... I got a 10 minute paid break when that happened, but I did have Mac Sauce all down my back...
Sometimes you just have to suck it up, I worked a week at Silmo (Paris optics exhibition) once and my day started at 8:30 brushing up the stall, went straight through to about 5:30 where we then had about half an hour to pack parts of the stall up for the night. Then about a half hour trip back to the hotel, shower and back out for 7:00 to entertain customers in restaurants for another 3-4 hours.
So pretty much out of the hotel at 8am and back in at 10:30pm, one of the more tiring weeks of my life. We grabbed lunch when we could, normally you could find a 10-20 minute slot you were kind of free in to grab a sandwich and eat it at the stall. If someone came while you ate you drop your food and talk to them about the product for as long as is necessary.
So pretty much out of the hotel at 8am and back in at 10:30pm, one of the more tiring weeks of my life. We grabbed lunch when we could, normally you could find a 10-20 minute slot you were kind of free in to grab a sandwich and eat it at the stall. If someone came while you ate you drop your food and talk to them about the product for as long as is necessary.
Quick Reply
Related discussions
- 15 and 17 years old
- Debate Help!!!
- Where can I find cash-in-hand jobs?
- Why is insider trading illegal
- Should a 13 year old date a 16 year old?
- Help with relationship age issues
- Epq ideas
- Waitress job dodgy?
- Is downloading anime legal?
- Essay writing
- Asking help for dissertation
- Car Insurance
- Mini roundabout U turn
- Computer virus
- Issue with asda shifts
- Smoking
- Disturbance in halls after a girl snitched
- Is it wrong to use an escort?
- Is there a reason why the government has failed to control its borders?
- Is it possible to drink too much water?
Latest
Trending
Last reply 4 days ago
My friend might be getting extra time and i hate it.Last reply 4 days ago
Just found out about UCL stat test but can't afford to sit itLast reply 2 weeks ago
Dad keeps criticising my university degree choiceLast reply 2 weeks ago
Is this pathetic or genuinely something to be upset aboutTrending
Last reply 4 days ago
My friend might be getting extra time and i hate it.Last reply 4 days ago
Just found out about UCL stat test but can't afford to sit itLast reply 2 weeks ago
Dad keeps criticising my university degree choiceLast reply 2 weeks ago
Is this pathetic or genuinely something to be upset about
