DD's working conditions

[A580Hojas]

DD works in pub that serves food. I'm not going to call it a gastro pub as it's nothing super fancy, but they serve food all day and every evening.

She is a waitress. Her shifts are usually 4pm to 10pm, 5pm to 11pm - something like that.

Very rarely does she get a break to eat dinner and even more rarely is she given a proper main course from the menu (which as I say is nothing fancy, it's a pasta, burritos, £10 main course sort of pub). Or even anything from the kitchen.

The last 2 nights she's been given nothing to eat and no break.

This is wrong, right?

From the examples you've given, it looks as though her shifts at 6 hours. Legally, you only have to be given a break if you work more than 6 hours. That break doesn't have to be paid and there's certainly no requirement for food to be provided.
It sounds as though the pub can continue to do what they're doing - although it's pretty mean of them.

She has the right to one uninterrupted 20min break if she works over 6 hours. By your post it suggests her shifts are 6 hours, so it doesn’t fall under this?

Cant she just eat a late lunch and a small snack when she gets home? Aside from anything else, eating crap pub food every day would get very wearing.

I don’t think we are entitled to a break u less we work more than 6 hours?

Not that I’m saying that’s acceptable though.x

Yup, this ☝️

It's legal, over 6 hours is the minimum before a break is offered.

I also suffered this working in pubs and bars at university so would go and stuff a sandwich in whilst on the toilet. It's the issue in working over diner time. I was thin and tired and probably not healthy but it is legal.

www.gov.uk/rest-breaks-work

I know it's 6 hours now but I'm sure it used to be every 4 hours about 20 years ago. That was better.

I wouldn't have thought they have to supply food. Obvo most jobs don't include food, in fact I don't think any jobs other than a restaurant would, so I don't imagine they 'have' to.

If she works longer than 6 hours she’s entitled to a break.

She’s not entitled to food, she needs to take a packed lunch. Staff in the Tesco can’t help themselves to stock on their breaks, works the same in restaurants. Some restaurants offer their staff a (limited) menu, but in todays currrent financial climate I’d say that’s now few and far between.

It does depend on her age. Is she over 18?

How old is she? If she is under 18 and working more than 4.5 hours she is entitled to a 30 minute break.

They do not need to provide food though - if she is hungry, she needs to take something or buy something.

If she is over 18 they are doing nothing wrong.

Young workers (above school leaving age and under 18) are usually entitled to:

a 30 minute rest break if they work more than 4.5 hours (if possible this should be one continuous break)

If she doesn’t like it perhaps she needs to look for a new job?

If she’s not happy and a better deal is on offer elsewhere perhaps she should consider leaving. Seems like lots of hospitality businesses are recruiting.

Why would you expect them to give her dinner? That’s very weird and you’re definitely being a ott parent.
She’s only entitled to a break after working over 6 hours, because she is doing 6 hr shifts she isn’t entitled to one legally.

No break till 6 hours work done, unless she is under 18, in which case it's 4 hours.

If you work in hospitality you have to get used to eating outside of normal meal times... obviously, because that's when you're working. The restaurant is doing nothing wrong, not sure what your daughter expected but either she learns to eat her dinner before her shift or finds another job.

Perfectly reasonable and normal for industry

If she's 18 or over she's only entitled to one 20 minute break if she works over 6 hours. The employer must supply fresh running water but not food.

I’ve worked in hospitality and I’d never expect to been given food from work, unless it was specified when I took the job. One place you got a meal for £2.50.
She needs to eat before she goes, esp as others said you only entitled a break after 6 hours

If she doesn't like it, she can just hand in notice and apply for another job. 🤷

There's plenty out there.

Not sure why people are ridiculing the idea of free food?

Most of the big brand fast food places give staff free food whilst on shift and discounted food if off shift.

Every independent takeaway my sister has worked in has given staff free food (like the branded fast food chains, its usually a limited range or set number of items) during a break or at the end of a shift.

I've worked in several pubs, admittedly a long time back, that would feed staff at the end of their shift for free, and this is certainly what happens in the local pubs here that do food.

Tell me you've never worked in hospitality without telling me 😅
Why on earth would they "provide" food? If she's old enough to work, she's old enough to eat before/after work.
Assuming she is over 18 then a 6 hour shift requires no break under legal terms. End of. If she's under 18 it's different and it's over 4 hour shifts. They still wouldn't have to provide food though.

Off to see if I can grab a car sales job to be provided a new car
Or an estate agen and a new house
The world is my oyster

6 hours without a break doesn't sound too bad to me.

Presumably she can eat before or after her shift? I spend years working shifts, and you adjust pretty quickly to eating and sleeping at funny times.

Why would anyone expect to be fed at work

I've run several pubs/restaurants for the past 17 years.
We run a menu that is heavily subsidised for staff, basic meals for under 3 quid.
Alternatively 50% of main menu items
For a team of 20 to 30+ staff, free food is a daft idea.
I also wouldn't entertain the idea of offering food during a 6 hour shift over dinner service if the employee was over 18.
Lots of places do things differently, but in my very recent and relevantexperience, free food is not the norm. There are exceptions, even where I work. (Stayed late, picked up a shift, etc) but not the norm at all.