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Pick your brains please
Former Member
Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
in General Chat
I wanted to know if any of you knew the rules with regards to drinking (water etc) at work.
Work have banned us from having any sort of drinks on the checkouts. So basically on a tueday i only get one break which is 30 mins during my 8 hour shift ( i get a 15 min break also on other days as i work an extra 30 mins). Surely its gotta be illegal to only be allowed to have one drink per shift?
I felt ill today without drinking. I haven't been there long though, what am i meant to do?
Does anyone else think its wrong?
Work have banned us from having any sort of drinks on the checkouts. So basically on a tueday i only get one break which is 30 mins during my 8 hour shift ( i get a 15 min break also on other days as i work an extra 30 mins). Surely its gotta be illegal to only be allowed to have one drink per shift?
I felt ill today without drinking. I haven't been there long though, what am i meant to do?
Does anyone else think its wrong?
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Comments
I think you need to have words, chuck.
Seriously - words.
You're not entitled to more of a break. In fact, you're getting more than the legal minimum, which is 20 mins for 6 hour continuous period.
Your company is obliged to provide drinking water, but I cannot find any mention of a rule that says that you're allowed a break to get some water, or that you can keep water with you.
And yes Tweety you should be allowed water at the checkout
I dunno. I would most likely find it uncomforable to go for a few hours without a drink, but I've not worked in a situation where they haven't let me.
I'd take it up with HR. There's obviously leeway as I've seen staff at both of our local Asdas who have had flasks of drink at the counter.
i have too, in our asda they sit and drink out of mugs. Sainsbury's didn't like us to coz aparently it looks unprofessional in front of the customers, even though everyone needs to drink to live, and the air con does mean you get dry really quickly
! i used to make sure i had a big drink before i started and on my break and had gum or small hard boiled sweets in my pocket to stop my mouth getting dry.
i also used to keep a bottle of water underneath my till and when it was quiet duck down and have a swig, if anyone popped up unexpectedly i used to say i was picking up rubbish. i also used to pretend i had a bad cough alot as they let us have drinks on our till then
If you work for CoCa Cola head office for example you get unlimited drinks, i.e. coke, fanta, sprite but then teas, coffee, juice and soup from the machines and all free.
They do give you extra breaks than the legal minimum, but I do think you are entitled to be able to drink, or take breaks to drink. When I worked at Tesco I was allowed to go in and get drinks, so long as I didn't take the piss, although admittedly I was doing heavy manual labour and wasn't working in the store on a checkout.
Loads of companies have free vend machines, for the record. Only company I've worked for that hasn't is Royal Mail, who really are an atrocious employer.
30min break for 8hrs is right. you have to have 15min break for every 4 hours. Maybe have a word and see if you can split your break so you go twice to get a drink.
I work a 10hour shift and only have a 1hr lunch break, but we are allowed to make ourselves tea/cofee, eat some biscuits discreetly or whatever during our shift.
Sainsburys never had free drinks, except water.
Tweety, although you dont like to make a fuss, don not be afraid to stand up for yourself, if you require water etc then go talk to HR or a superviser or similar and explain that to them.
Yesterday i did ask if someone could cover me a mo as i really needed a drink and she let me but its like i asked for a million pounds. I don't like to be made to feel like i am a pain. I hate it but i can't go without a drink for so long either.
I haven't even finished my 12 week probabtion yet so they would just sack me. :grump:
Thats all i was doing. It sucks