Should I report my workplace? Just started a new job...

[sparkybabe]

I started a new job on Friday last week, it's a receptionist job, working 7am to 3pm. I want to do maybe 2-3 days a week, but I've worked every dsay so far except sunday. I wasn't interviewed as such; I'd dropped my CV in a few weeks before and was called to come in last tuesday evening. Sat down with the manager, was asked when could I start (immediately) so was taken behind the reception desk there and then. (obviously short of staff - quick staff turnover?) Anyway, I was under the imopression that in an 8 hour shift I was legally allowed a 1 hour break? I am supposed to be left on my own soon (no back-up, no support, no-one else there at all) so how can I leave a reception desk unmanned for 1 hour? In practice I don't think anyone does take the hour. 1 x 10 minutes and maybe a toilet break or 2 seems about right.
Also, we are taking guests' credit card details, which I was shocked to find were just scribbled down on the 'restervation sheet', input on the computer (which has to be about 20 years out of date, no kidding!) and the papers then bundled up and put in a box for transfer over to the accoutnants. God knows what happens to those details in transit, Anyone could get hold of them. Is this covered under the Data Protection Act? Or the Identity theft act, if there is one? It's a crime waiting to happen!

I don't even think I want to work there - even after 16 of being a SAHM and desperate to get back to work!

You are entitled to a 20 minute break legally, not 1 hour.

Don't know about reporting it. Are you being paid by the hour and on the assumption that you get a break? Did you talk at the interview about hours/days etc? It seems to me you need to find a way to extricate yourself with a good reference to get a job which suits you better, eg part time and with a bigger reception team who can cover each other, or with a proper cover arrangement in place.

Re a break, is this a hotel? Would it be possible to take a break between the checkout deadline and the checkin time? I've stayed at budget hotels like Travelodges where Reception wasn't always staffed - there's someone in earshot of a buzzer - it's not what I would want as a break but maybe that's what they expect.

Do you have an idea for a better system for keeping guest credit card details safe before you hand them over? I don't know how a positive suggestion to your manager would go down but maybe better than raising your (justified) concerns about what's wrong with what happens now.

Agree with island, you are entitled to a 20 minute unpaid break per 6 hour period. Not to say what's happening is good practice, 1 hour lunch more usual and better practice, but only 20 minutes required by law.

I have no idea off the top of my head about are laws specifying exactly how personal data should be kept or transferred, but I shouldn't imagine there is any law saying it can't be written down by hand or transferred to another premises in a box, or how up to date computer systems must be. You could read here if you want to know. I think it's likely to be more about how secure they are in terms of who can or can't access the details rather than the format.

But if you don't want to work there anyway, personally I would just leave, or at least focus my attentions on finding something else, rather than working out whether to report them to the Information Commissioner.

Thanks all - I was certainly under the impression that in an 8-hour shift that 1 of those would be a break. 20 minutes is still more than I get tho. I've only been there since last friday, today is my second day off (first was sunday) - as for an interview, as I said, I sat down with the manager for about 5 minutes, we didn't discuss pay, holidays, breaks, staffing or anything much. Thinking about it now, I think they are desperate for staff, as I hear that several long-standing personnel have left recently. The reception should def be staffed by more than just 1, the computer system is so antiquated it takes 4 times as long to do anything as it would otherwise. The 'hotel' is a 2-3 star (if that) and I certainly wouldn;t want to stay there, it's not even as good as a travellodge!

I don;t want to leave them in the lurch, the other staff are part-timers also. The other receptionist has gone on holiday back to slovakia and quite possibly isn't coming back (they don't even seem to treat the staff they have very well, and she is the only person-including the manager - who knows what she's doing) but i can't see how to get out of it otherwise. I can see that without a contract or anything in writing that I will not see the money for the hours I've already worked!

upto four hours - no break
more than 4 hours less than 8 - 15 mins
8 hours or more - 20 mins

Unless you are under 18 then you are entitled to more.

Am I the only one who's shocked by the nonchalent way people's credit card details are used? This 'box' could be dropped and the reservation sheets fall out and blow away? Customers in the reception could see someone elses details? When my creditCard details are entered on the computer I always look for the little 'padlock' to show it's a secure site, but I didn't occur to me that these details would then be written down at the other end and just chucked about like scribbled peices of paper.

They need reporting, otherwise someone is going to have a big fraudulent bill against their name, or their identity stolen. I've been a victim of identity theft and it's not nice, andthe police don't care.

SheSells sorry to have to correct you but what I said earlier is correct, see here, it's 20 minutes in any 6 hour period.

Captain I don't think it's necessarily a case of anyone thinking writing credit card details down and keeping them in a box is ok, more not being certain there is any legislation specifically saying how they should be kept/transferred and thinking that making suggestions about improving things might be better than reporting them to someone.

Well it's all academic anyway - I went to work on sunday and thought, that's it. No more. I went in and the fire alarm was screaming, had been since 3.40 am. No-one knew how to turn it off, or where it was even. I had guests yelling at me all morning, and the thing is, I agreed with them. We should have had training. We should know what to do. But with so many part-timers, eastern europeans, night-workers, no-one cares.

So I'm not going back. It's a shame, cos I loved the work, the helping people, meeting people etc. Just not the hotel - it's not one to be proud of.

Now I need to compose a letter to the other hotels in the area, to see if they are hiring.!!