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Working 21 hour shifts!

3 replies

lou732 · 15/12/2014 21:22

I work for a large company running a retail store, and I am contracted to work 45 hours a week. The culture of the company is that you work as many hours as you need to as a manager (even though we don't get paid for anything over 45 hours). Recently one of my junior managers was sacked and I have no replacement. As a result I am working over 80 hours a week, including 21 hour shifts (im on my feet all day). My boss knows I am pregnant and hasn't done any kind of risk assessment, but when i mentioned the number of hours to him he responded by talking about my poor performance (he has not mentioned this before), and said he was not prepared to come to my store to help. I don't know how to go about raising it as an issue.. they cant force me to go in to work but I know if the store doesn't open i will be disciplined/ thought of as unreliable. Its making me so miserable but I cant afford to quit, and all i do is argue with my oh about it. I don't want to ruin my personal life or risk my pregnancy for this company but I just don't know how to tell them in the right way.

OP posts:
Musicaltheatremum · 16/12/2014 21:43

Do you have a union or could you contact ACAS for advice and help. That is ridiculous and illegal.

Tiredemma · 16/12/2014 21:46

Do you have a HR dept? This is illegal- working the excessive hours contravenes European Work Directive rulings and not having a Risk Assessment on top makes me wonder if your boss has any clue really what he doing?

Millerpup · 17/12/2014 21:38

To enable any employer to act as he should legally regarding pregnancy the new mum has to inform him of her pregnancy in writing. Only when he has recieved this should he then arrange for a risk assessment to be done.
Working all of these hours is illegal and unless you have opted out of the working time directive (normally a document you sign with your contract) you are entitled to a minimum of 11 hours rest period between shifts, regardless of how many extra hours your employer expects you to do.
You need to contact either acas or the health and safety executive for some advice but it is going to take some strength from you. Stand up to him.

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