Working a 9 hour shift with no break

[MimiGC]

My 19 year old DD has new job (she’s on a gap year), working 3 X9 hour shifts a week, starting at 7am - it’s a bakery/cafe. She likes it, people are nice, but it’s full on, nonstop busy. She doesn’t get a break all day. I have told her everyone is legally entitled to at least a 20 min break if they work more than 6 hours and that she should raise it with her supervisor. She won’t, she’s too shy and is afraid they won’t keep her on if she rocks the boat in any way (the other kitchen staff also don’t take breaks apparently). Is this kind of practice common?

AIBU to say she’s 19, I can only advise her what to do and it’s a life lesson for her, that she needs to assert herself sometimes otherwise employers might exploit her. ( I want to go in and ask the manager what they are playing at, but won’t!)

Help her find a new job and she needs to speak to someone in a union. They are nothing but abusive tight bast**ds! I hope things improve for her, poor girl. 💐

I agree. It is important she knows she’s being exploited and the working conditions are illegal, but it’s not your job to police it.

Is she allowed to have a sandwich and a cup of squash during her shift? If not that is really tough.

In due course perhaps she will find a friend at work and perhaps together they could ask the boss if they can find a quieter moment, one of them covers the other, to get a short break.

I would join a union. It is against the law, however unfortunately you can be sacked without a reason (unless it relates to a protected characteristic) in the first two years of employment.