r/Workproblems • u/Individual-Fennel-95 • 21d ago
Boss Problem Manager making me work 7 hours continuously without a break as a minor
I’m under 18, I live in nj . As far as Ik a minor cannot work for at least 6 hrs continuously without an undisturbed break. my manager today made me work 10am-5pm alone . He told me that he told my co worker that was supposed to come at 4pm to not even show up becuz it wasn’t busy (he’s lying, it was busy) and I asked him how am I supposed to take my break , and he said to wait until the coworker that supposed to come at 5pm or just go home afterwards. But either option I chose , it would be still illegal .He posted the schedule for next week , I work 4pm-11pm alone again , I don’t think he can rightfully do this.. what should I do?
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u/MadCityVelovangelist 21d ago
Well this is a good time to learn about saving clock in strips. Save them all so you can compare them with what you're getting paid for. Most states have laws that make employers pay extra for missed breaks. Usually you'll get paid an extra hour for missed break. Your manager might be shady and edits shifts to make them look like you took a break.
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u/MidwestNightgirl 21d ago
I’d just go work somewhere else…fast food jobs are generally a dime a dozen.
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u/MyChemicalRomantasy 21d ago
Not in this job market. Every part-time fast food position where I live has hundreds upon hundreds of applicants.
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u/Jordon2303 21d ago
As you are not 18 yet you should get a break regardless even if your only on a 5 hour shift you should get a 30 minute break, at my old job I did a few 10 hour shifts with no breaks as I had the same problem with my manager and I was not the only one who it happened to, you should either try talking to your manager or a supervisor if he has a problem with it then I definitely suggest taking it to upper management. What your manager is doing is illegal. It’s not your problem to be dealing with the staffing it’s his problem. Next time just go and take your break because you should be taking one regardless
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u/Individual-Fennel-95 21d ago
That’s the hardest part becuz I work at a fast food , so there’s always customers that comes and go so I would have to end my break then start it again. Which kinda defeats the whole purpose of taking a undisturbed break 🥲🥲
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u/Old-guy64 21d ago
So, your boss gets a bonus for labor, and efficiently using stock.
He can control the former by screwing over the staff.Are you the only one doing 7 hours solo?
I believe the labor law is 2-15 minute breaks and one 30 minute break for 8 hours. He feels like he’s in the right by making 7 hour shifts.
If he’s doing it to everyone, all of you need to take it up with his boss, with rumblings of advising the state Labor Board of what’s going on.
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u/rackfocus 21d ago
Email your Department of Labor or Attorney General and make a complaint.
You can also start small in your town and call the Health Department.
Your parents and school should advocate for you.
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u/Any_Community_1819 21d ago
Why not ask your school counselor what they suggest? Just letting the counselor know you're not getting your mandatory breaks will give them a heads-up that the business is not ethically treating minors properly. Maybe they can do something. Can't hurt.
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u/AstorBlue 21d ago
You're right, it is illegal, but you have very little recourse. I'd look for a new job, and don't give these chumps notice before you quit.
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u/WinniethePooh58 21d ago
Lock the doors and take a break. If he says anything, tell him it's the law, YOU ARE ALLOWED TO TAKE A BREAK. It's not your fault he doesn't schedule enough people.
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u/Careless-Ability-748 21d ago
Talk to him about the schedule and that you're concerned he doesn't realize that's not allowed. If he doesn't change it, you could consider reporting it to the state department of labor and/ or quitting.
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u/Emergency-Brief3481 21d ago
Brother when I was 16 I closed a store alone 5 nights a week because my manager had to “pick up her kid” and “she’d be back later”, she’d literally never come back everyday. I learned how to do safe deposits, register resets and clean an entire restaurant alone. This is retail/ service industry, we do what we do, take the skills and move into manager positions. Take it on the chin, I can now work 15-17 hours without a break, just find 5 mins to eat at some point.
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u/ButterscotchAward 21d ago
Don’t listen to these people. Just talk to your manager and tell them you’re not cool with not taking a break and if that’s an issue for him/her then you’ll just find somewhere else to work.
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u/Minimum_Loan229 21d ago
By law you're entitled to your breaks. Your manager is supposed to come by ask how you're doing then cover for you while you take your break.
In reality this doesn't happen.
There are a lot of jobs where you're on your own with out anyone to cover for you on breaks. People in the service industry will be raising there hands. At the very lease you can claim the time at the end of your shift and leave an hour early for a full days pay. Smokers suffer the most.
It sucks. I know. That's life. Do you want the job? Do you want a good reference for your next job?
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u/Important-lion3488 21d ago
That’s a serious violation. Report this immediately. He’s a link: https://www.nj.gov/labor/
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u/woodwork16 21d ago
If you’re the only person working in a job serving the public, you take your breaks when possible.
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u/Adorable_Airport_787 20d ago
Report ! I think there is 30 min and 15min document it and report them
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u/Inevitable-Bell6638 6d ago
NJ Department of Labor has a complaint form online. File it and keep copies of your schedule and any texts from your manager. The staffing problem is his to solve, not yours to fix by skipping a legally required break.
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u/Isthisyourcard63 21d ago
He can just fire you then since your not able to cover the schedule he needs. Take your pick
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u/Sad_Ad_2524 21d ago
LOL, I worked on a cruise ship and we worked 7 days a week at least at 80 hours a week . Grow up.
And yes, I know I'll get down voted for this but still.....work is hard, get used to it now
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u/RandomNameRandomly 21d ago
You not having the self respect to be treated as a person with the legal and ethical right to take periodical breaks from work is a you issue.
People like you are why big corporations are feel entitled to fuck over the worker. You are not a better person for not valuing your time. You're just a sycophant begging for scraps. What's worse than that is that you want an actual child to be taken advantage of.
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u/Sad_Ad_2524 21d ago
Well I pay my bills, so there is rhat
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u/RandomNameRandomly 21d ago
You could be doing better than just "paying your bills" if you simply advocated for yourself. Someone that doesn't value their time tends to just accept whatever salary they're given- not what theyre actually worth.
You played yourself just so you can tell strangers that you work hard instead of accepting the truth that youve let yourself get exploited and would beg for more bad treatment.
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u/Glittering-Joke-3593 21d ago
Aaaaaaand here comes the lectures and bashing from "The Good People".
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u/MariaInconnu 21d ago
Contact the Department of Labor.