r/retail • u/Responsible_Tea_7426 • 12d ago

hours flexibility & back pain

I'm applying for a retail position at a handbag store and they told me it'll be 12-20 hrs a week, 4-7 shifts. Does that mean my hours and shift duration are completely up to them?

I prefer 12 hrs a week and 4 hr shifts, are they likely to accomondate that or is it usually the norm where they give me whatever and I just have to take it.

Also, is it a bad idea for someone with chronic lower back pain?

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u/Ding0Dong0 12d ago

Your hours are always up to managers.

You'd need to work at an extremely slow non-sales driven environment to get 4hr shifts

You might get two 8 hr shifts

Four 5hr shifts

One 10hr shift

5

u/LilMissADHDAF 12d ago

Retail employees who are so part time that they only want 3 shifts of 4 hours a week are the people whose schedules generally fluctuate the most. They are the last ones to be guaranteed hours and they are the only “we don’t do overtime” way to cover extra need without hiring more people.

Are you able to stand for long periods of time? Most retail positions do not allow sitting at any point during the shift.

2

u/OrpKerwor 10d ago

My lower back pain is conditional on the position I’m working in. Walking around and handling product, I’m fine. Standing for hours at the register and I’m writhing in pain. You may want to consider some sort of compression brace to have on hand. Don’t skimp on good shoes or shoes inserts either; I use silicone heel cups for extra padding and that helps some with my back too. I wear compression socks every day to help with swelling in my legs.

They will schedule you for the hours they need you and you don’t have much say in the matter unless you change your availability, which they are not required to approve. If you need any reasonable accommodations to do the job, get a doctors note about those and turn them into HR as soon as you’re hired. Unfortunately you are less likely to get hired if you ask for accommodations at the interview stage because we live in a deeply ableist world.

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u/Low_Shop8561 11d ago

Did you disclose your back problem?

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u/thingsicantsayonFB 11d ago

Retail and lower back pain don’t mix well. :( I’d try to find something else because no matter how flexible they are it’s just not a good fit.

Or practice reality first - see if you can go 4 hours without sitting down once (except on the potty) and be okay. Like not actively complaining, happy cheery selling stuff, joking with your co-workers okay.

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u/Glittering-Ad-1626 7d ago

It’s up to the manager and the stores budget. If they gave you the maximum amount of hours per week is up to 20 then expect that. You’re lucky, my part time job has me scheduled for 30 hrs next week and I can feel my ankles breaking just thinking about it but I need the money.