Employer think they own staff

[isntthatnice]

Since being unfurloughed along with other members of staff our employer has become unnecessarily harsh.

I have a 16 hour contract as do all the other staff members (around 230-259 people) I don't mind doing extra but they're rostering us in to do 10-12 hours per shift 4 or 5 days a week.

I have children, I cannot do these hours nor would I want to. The same is said by other staff members. Our days off are random days jotted over the week so we don't even get our days off together. We are all exhausted. Breaks? Don't even know what one is.

I work in hospitality and I'm on my feet all day. Where do I stand with this legally? I've been trying to get through to ACAS but I've been on hold for ages.

I understand I'm lucky to have a job during these trying times but I'm going to end up having a breakdown

The owning part sorry! I have requested certain days off due to personal reasons but I have to provide evidence as to why I need these days off. I need to just quit don't I?

I really wouldn't quit a job at the moment.

What happens when your say to them that you can only do 16 hours?

@StuffThem they said they have to put the business needs first. I was also told that lots of people are lining up to take my job, if I don't like it I know where the door is.

I've worked here for 6 years, never had a sick day, always worked hard, don't normally complain.
I reach my targets every week, won competitions for the company etc.. I'm the best at my job and they know I am yet they do this

That's proper sucky, and totally illegal.

is it center parcs because it sounds like center parcs

I don't know what to suggest but I'd sit tight and stick to my guns. If they sack you, you would have an excellent case for unfair dismissal.

If they have all these people desperate for your job they should employ them for the additional hours that they need!

what does your contract say 🤔

My contract says 16 hours but I can be offered to work some overtime. It also states that I should get a 30 minute, uninterrupted break which we don't get.
We are also watched all the time on camera.

It's not a nice place to work in the slightest, which is a shame because it used to be. Now they work us until we leave. So many of us are on anxiety medication.
I'm trying my hardest to get another job but I can't find a single one

My contract says 16 hours but I can be offered to work some overtime. It also states that I should get a 30 minute, uninterrupted break which we don't get.
We are also watched all the time on camera.

It's not a nice place to work in the slightest, which is a shame because it used to be. Now they work us until we leave. So many of us are on anxiety medication.
I'm trying my hardest to get another job but I can't find a single one

Legally you can't be made to work more than 48 hours without opting out www.gov.uk/maximum-weekly-working-hours

You also have the right in law to breaks: www.gov.uk/rest-breaks-work
This includes 48 hrs together every fortnight.

I m not an expert but if your contract is 16 hours then you have only committed to that time. I would keep trying ad as but also start a diary noting hours work, discussions with manager on hours, what breaks you got etc. If you have to leave you may have case for constructive dismissal.

If I leave would I be entitled to something until I find another job? I'm not seeing my kids and my mental health is going down the pan

Keep on the line to acas , they were really helpful when I eventually got through to them
And start looking for something else , not easy I know

Sorry to hear you are going through this. My husband works in hospitality and it is shit. The covid situation has made it much worse as well. There are lots of things that your work is doing wrong. But they will either not know or not care. I am guessing that if you point it out to them they will say tough.

My husband went through a similar sort of thing. We went to a lawyer. Paid a couple of hundred pounds to point out what his working conditions should be. As they were in the wrong, they corrected what they had fucked up and luckily didn't sack him. But the atmosphere at work is of course horrendous and DH can't find a new job. We're in Australia and there is very little government help beyond the actual law - no union or legal aid.

Sorry no real constructive advice, just sympathy. Please keep looking for a new job and hopefully you may even be able to change industry. If you're brave enough and can afford it, would you go down the lawyer route? In out case, i was really the driving force (easy for me!) and dh was initially really wary until one day he decided fuck them for this shitty treatment. His boss actually "discovered" wages that dh was owed so it paid for itself.

You don't have to take the overtime offered. And they can't sack you for sticking to your contracted hours. What would happen if you requested to scale back to 16 hours? The needs of your family come before the needs of their business.

You are legally contracted to 16 hr per week.
Those are the hours both parties have agreed too.

I'd have a consultation with an employment solicitor. And find out what your legal options are and what would happen if they sacked you upon refusal to work extra hours due to childcare etc. If there was a tribunal for unfair dismissal, would you have a strong case? I think you would but best to hear it from a professional.

So today I nearly had a breakdown. Again all day on my feet, no break and they're watching us on cctv because they have nothing better to do. The underhanded bullying is fantastic too

This is what's in my contract regarding my hours.
As of Monday we are all now on 12 hour shifts, with half an hour breaks which we won't get because we are so short staffed. Fag breaks will also be monitored apparently although I don't smoke

We don't get paid our breaks yet WiFi through them. So we work for free for half an hour.

Work not WiFi