Could really use opinions on professional matter!

[jewelerman]

What would you do in this situation?
What if the manager of the store you currently worked at called you at 9am while you were opening the store and said they were sick and would be hours late.They would be in by noon.No problem you say.You open the store and its very busy.You help two to eight people at a time, and everyone is happy and no one walks out upset because they have to wait for help or to be rung up.Noon comes and goes...so does one and two oclock...you call manager because you are now hungry and need to use restroom,but cant eat or use restroom because there is several customers on sales floor and no second associate to take over...he states that the assistant manager will cut his day off short and be there at three oclock...he dosnt show until 4 pm and wants to know why you are so upset because he was told by manager you had lunch and it was fine to be there at 4pm.The manager knows that due to an illness you must eat every four hours.There is only three people working at this location because company cut staff by 50%.
What would you have done?What are your company policies regarding such situations?would you file complaint?Would you have closed the store to use bathroom and take lunchbreak?
On top of this,the manager never made a schedule for next week(a common occurance)ans so i dont even know when to be at work on monday!
Im really interested to hear what the forum says because the assistant manager thinks im over reacting and that when someone is sick then the sales person on the floor should expect to go without eating or using the bathroom all day.Thanks for your opinions!

 

[brightlight]

What state are you in? In my state, employers are required to give employees a lunch break if they work 6 hours. Your employer may have broken the law.
In your situation, I would have put a sign on the door saying that the store would re-open in 30 mins. I don't think it's right for them to expect you to not eat or go to the restroom all day. My guess is that your state government would also agree.

 

[brightlight]

Btw, in my state if you''re not given a lunch break, you''re entitled to an additional hour''s pay for every day you don''t get a lunch break. You also get a 10 min. break every 4 hours. If you don''t get breaks, you''re also entitled to an hour''s pay. Lunches are unpaid and breaks are paid.

 

[swingirl]

I would have closed up the shop, gone to the bathroom and taken my lunch break. I don''t think any person in their right mind would expect someone to hold their bladder for 8 hours. It''s unhealthy and certainly in my case impossible. I wouldn''t have felt the need to ask permission for the breaks. They are required by law and nature. And if a sales person is working with the public I would expect him or her to occasionally wash their hands throughout the day.

If there were 3 people at the location why couldn''t someone else relieve the sales person?

 

[brightlight]

Date: 8/30/2009 4:42:48 AM
Author: swingirl
I would have closed up the shop, gone to the bathroom and taken my lunch break. I don''t think any person in their right mind would expect someone to hold their bladder for 8 hours. It''s unhealthy and certainly in my case impossible. I wouldn''t have felt the need to ask permission for the breaks. They are required by law and nature. And if a sales person is working with the public I would expect him or her to occasionally wash their hands throughout the day.

If there were 3 people at the location why couldn''t someone else relieve the sales person?

I think the 3 people are the mgr, asst mgr, and jewelerman.

 

[LilyKat]

I''d have closed up shop, gone to the restroom and had something to eat. More than once if necessary. And not felt the slightest bit bad about it.

You have to look after your own health and needs, because often in life no-one else will. If that means a few customers are lost - tough.

 

[Steel]

I have been in this position many times.

Though experience I now take this approach: Excuse yourself from the customers to lock the door and place a closed sign on the door. Serve the remaining customers and open the door only to let them leave when they are served. Once the final customer leaves take your break. Reopen after your break. In all my time using this I have never been reprimanded. How can management argue?

But many times I was the martyr and worked for 9-10 hours straight; when I complained that I did not have any breaks I was ignored. Next time jewelerman, close up.

 

[Ellen]

I would have closed up shop with a "be back in xx minutes" sign. And I would remind your boss you HAVE to eat every 4 hours. And everyone HAS to go to the bathroom at some point.

As for no schedule, how big a point do you want to make? If you are up to it, simply don't go in until you get a call asking where you are. Tell them you can't know when to come in with no schedule.

 

[perry]

I would have politely explaind to the customers that due to various emegencies that you were the only staff there that day - and that you needed to use the restroom or had to eat - and would be back in a few minutes. Then closed the store, done what you needed to do, and returned and reopen the store.

I used to work booths at shows and fairs - and there were times I''d just tell people that Id be back in a few minutes - and everyone understood.

Perry

 

[steph72276]

As someone with blood sugar issues, I feel your pain on having to eat every few hours. I would probably literally pass out while in there if I didn''t eat all day, so yeah I would have closed up shop for 30 minutes or so to go get a quick bite to eat and go to the restroom. The manager couldn''t have gotten mad at that because it was a medical issue. Sorry for your bad day!

 

[Regular Guy]

Sounds like there''s positive general agreement. I particularly favor Stee''ls view:

Date: 8/30/2009 9:23:36 AM
Author: Steel
I have been in this position many times.

Though experience I now take this approach: Excuse yourself from the customers to lock the door and place a closed sign on the door. Serve the remaining customers and open the door only to let them leave when they are served. Once the final customer leaves take your break. Reopen after your break. In all my time using this I have never been reprimanded. How can management argue?

But many times I was the martyr and worked for 9-10 hours straight; when I complained that I did not have any breaks I was ignored. Next time jewelerman, close up.

and Ellen''s...

"As for no schedule, how big a point do you want to make? If you are up to it, simply don''t go in until you get a call asking where you are. Tell them you can''t know when to come in with no schedule."

 

[lyra]

Definitely would have locked the door and taken the breaks. I''d have to, I''m diabetic. It would have been several breaks for me. You are entitled.

 

[movie zombie]

Date: 8/30/2009 1:17:38 PM
Author: Regular Guy
Sounds like there''s positive general agreement. I particularly favor Stee''ls view:

Date: 8/30/2009 9:23:36 AM
Author: Steel
I have been in this position many times.

Though experience I now take this approach: Excuse yourself from the customers to lock the door and place a closed sign on the door. Serve the remaining customers and open the door only to let them leave when they are served. Once the final customer leaves take your break. Reopen after your break. In all my time using this I have never been reprimanded. How can management argue?

But many times I was the martyr and worked for 9-10 hours straight; when I complained that I did not have any breaks I was ignored. Next time jewelerman, close up.

and Ellen''s...

''As for no schedule, how big a point do you want to make? If you are up to it, simply don''t go in until you get a call asking where you are. Tell them you can''t know when to come in with no schedule.''

bingo on both accounts.

get a copy of your state employment laws and have it on hand at all times. write all this up and keep it just in case you need it in the future [wrongful termination comes to mind].

and i''d be looking for another job.

mz

 

[jewelerman]

I really appreciate the support and imput from everyone who commented!The next time this happens(this wasnt the first time,by the way)I will close the store.Would have done it this last time,but couldnt get away from customers long enough to get the store empty and locked up(in my state you cant lock doors with people in store for fire hazard reasons ans security reasons)A company with 70 locations needs to have better back up plans when there is only a manager,assistant manager and one hourly employee in a store.

 

[jewelerman]

Date: 8/30/2009 2:26:30 PM
Author: movie zombie

Date: 8/30/2009 1:17:38 PM
Author: Regular Guy
Sounds like there''s positive general agreement. I particularly favor Stee''ls view:

Date: 8/30/2009 9:23:36 AM
Author: Steel
I have been in this position many times.

Though experience I now take this approach: Excuse yourself from the customers to lock the door and place a closed sign on the door. Serve the remaining customers and open the door only to let them leave when they are served. Once the final customer leaves take your break. Reopen after your break. In all my time using this I have never been reprimanded. How can management argue?

But many times I was the martyr and worked for 9-10 hours straight; when I complained that I did not have any breaks I was ignored. Next time jewelerman, close up.

and Ellen''s...

''As for no schedule, how big a point do you want to make? If you are up to it, simply don''t go in until you get a call asking where you are. Tell them you can''t know when to come in with no schedule.''

bingo on both accounts.

get a copy of your state employment laws and have it on hand at all times. write all this up and keep it just in case you need it in the future [wrongful termination comes to mind].

and i''d be looking for another job.

mz

great advise!

 

[ts44]

Date: 8/30/2009 2:30:54 PM
Author: jewelerman
I really appreciate the support and imput from everyone who commented!The next time this happens(this wasnt the first time,by the way)I will close the store.Would have done it this last time,but couldnt get away from customers long enough to get the store empty and locked up(in my state you cant lock doors with people in store for fire hazard reasons ans security reasons)A company with 70 locations needs to have better back up plans when there is only a manager,assistant manager and one hourly employee in a store.

This is a corporate store, then? Make a phone call to the district manager, or the regional manager. Corporate haaaates it when managers flout employment laws. That = lawsuits.

Although with only 3 employees at the store, you can''t sit down with your manager and say look man, you know the score, and you know this is unfair and illegal? He would have to be pretty stupid to terminate you after talking to him about that, because that''s clearly wrongful termination.