my rights at work.

[Deluded]

I work for a national chain of shops. We recently went into administration but were bought out the same day and so are still operating. Since this incident, alot of staff have left and so we are short staffed in some shops. My shop is fine but we are constantly having to cover other shops which are currently only being run by one member of staff.

My question is that the company is refusing to let us close the shop when we are working on our own to have our hours lunch break. This break is not paid for and so by not closing the shop, I would be working an hour which is not paid for and also not getting a break during the day (9-6).

Do I have any legal backup if I were to either close the shop for an hour and do as I please as I am entitled to a break or if I were to close the store an hour early because I am only paid for 8 hours of the day?

Could I be fired on these grounds or am I legally entitled to an hours break?

Also, what are the legalities of having a shop manned by a single person? Does this break health and safety laws?

[ChrisRS]

I think your deluded

[Deluded]

Well done.

[ChrisRS]

Deluded said:

Well done.

Thanks, i'm here all week!

[SS HSV]

ChrisRS said:

Deluded said:

Well done.

Thanks, i'm here all week!

Well try going to the gym then

[Hedders]

I would have thought that you had to leave the shop floor in order to use the facilities, or do they expect you to hold it all day??

[mouk786]

Ots illegal for them to make you work more than 4 hours without a break IIRC so something has to give

It would be totally illegal for them to make you work 9 hours without a break.

[Shaw Tarse]

SS HSV said:

ChrisRS said:

Deluded said:

Well done.

Thanks, i'm here all week!

Well try going to the gym then

Or the veal?

[speedy_thrills]

Deluded said:

Could I be fired on these grounds or am I legally entitled to an hours break?

I'm sure there is a legal entitlement for employers to provide unpaid time for lunch.

Why not shove a "Closed until..." sign on the door when the shop is empty around lunch time? Seems fair if they can't be bothered having staff to cover TBH.

[ChrisRS]

SS HSV said:

ChrisRS said:

Deluded said:

Well done.

Thanks, i'm here all week!

Well try going to the gym then

Thats not very constructive, he's looking for serious advice!

[BigLepton]

ChrisRS said:

I think your deluded

You think his deluded is what?

[2 sMoKiN bArReLs]

BigLepton said:

ChrisRS said:

I think your deluded

You think his deluded is what?

luded

[Shaw Tarse]

speedy_thrills said:

Deluded said:

Could I be fired on these grounds or am I legally entitled to an hours break?

I'm sure there is a legal entitlement for employers to provide unpaid time for lunch.

Why not shove a "Closed until..." sign on the door when the shop is empty around lunch time? Seems fair if they can't be bothered having staff to cover TBH.

I think I'm entitled to a 15 minute unpaid break after 6 hours.

[SS HSV]

ChrisRS said:

SS HSV said:

ChrisRS said:

Deluded said:

Well done.

Thanks, i'm here all week!

Well try going to the gym then

Thats not very constructive, he's looking for serious advice!

Er this is the Pie & Piston, is it not? And it's only half an hour to last orders so most are well oiled by now.. don't you know.

Ok, <clears throat> I would strongly suggest havin a look through here as it may help.

Hick

[Deluded]

speedy_thrills said:

Deluded said:

Could I be fired on these grounds or am I legally entitled to an hours break?

I'm sure there is a legal entitlement for employers to provide unpaid time for lunch.

Why not shove a "Closed until..." sign on the door when the shop is empty around lunch time? Seems fair if they can't be bothered having staff to cover TBH.

Thats what people have been doing, but getting a bking for doing it. Hence why I want to know if it is actually illegal to not let me have a break it not. If it is then I dont need to worry, but if they dont actually have to let me have a break then theres not alot I can do.

[eharding]

Deluded said:

I work for a national chain of shops. We recently went into administration but were bought out the same day and so are still operating. Since this incident, alot of staff have left and so we are short staffed in some shops. My shop is fine but we are constantly having to cover other shops which are currently only being run by one member of staff.

My question is that the company is refusing to let us close the shop when we are working on our own to have our hours lunch break. This break is not paid for and so by not closing the shop, I would be working an hour which is not paid for and also not getting a break during the day (9-6).

Do I have any legal backup if I were to either close the shop for an hour and do as I please as I am entitled to a break or if I were to close the store an hour early because I am only paid for 8 hours of the day?

Could I be fired on these grounds or am I legally entitled to an hours break?

Also, what are the legalities of having a shop manned by a single person? Does this break health and safety laws?

Resign, and open your own shop. Then consider how fecked in the head the concept of health and safety insisting that running a shop is a mandatory multi-crew operation.

Or just resign, and go to work for another equally fecked-up organisation. Repeat until you retire at the age of 115.

[ticmon]

Go here http://www.usdaw.org.uk/

For info legal working arrangements are 20 minutes unpaid for a 6 hour shift.

[speedy_thrills]

ticmon said:

Go here http://www.usdaw.org.uk/

For info legal working arrangements are 20 minutes unpaid for a 6 hour shift.

So half an hour a day should be provided? (based on an 8 hour day)

Seems fair .

[deevlash]

acas.org.uk is your friend

[Alfa_75_Steve]

speedy_thrills said:

ticmon said:

Go here http://www.usdaw.org.uk/

For info legal working arrangements are 20 minutes unpaid for a 6 hour shift.

So half an hour a day should be provided? (based on an 8 hour day)

Seems fair .

It's not pro-rata, so an 8 hour day means you should get a 20 minute break after a maximum of 6 hours of work.