Employment/Work and asscioated benefits woes

[Hacked_Off]

I know compared to otherpeoples problems on here mine is insignificant but yeah..

 

Basically i have several facial piercings,im forced to remove them before my shift. I also have several tatoos on my right arm. I work in a busy shop. I am forced to wear a big work jumper to keep my tatoos covered. The shop is always hot and were not allowed to have a drink. I pretty much ready to faint every shift im that hot in the jumper. Ive asked if i am allowed to wear a thin cardi just so imnot roasting and there still covered. They said no. Ive not been well the last few days. Today i was ROASTING i asked if i could go sit outside for 5 min just to cool down a bit. They said no. 10 min later im in the back boiling hot and throwing up. Ive asked what am i supposed to do in the summer? theyve just basically said tuff wear the jumper.

[stuartadar]

I dont regard that as a minor problem, its a serious health and saftety concern. Presumably you had the tattoo's and pierceings at the time of your employment and if your employer never raised any issues, or made it a condition of your employment in writing that they had to be covered, then they had no problems with how you looked. To insist that you wear clothing that is unsuitable for the workplace, dont allow you adequate breaks or drinks then they are breaching their duty of care under the Health and Safety Act. If you are being treated differently than other members of staff because of your appearance then there is a good case for Bullying and Harassment. Put a shot across their bows and see what happens.

Stu

[roxy001]

They have the right to have a dress code and to request that tattoos and piercings are covered, as I don't think that's covered within the legal bounds of discrimination. However, they have a responsibility for your health and safety, and stipulating that you have to wear a garment that is adversely affecting your health unnecessarily is breaching those guidelines.

 

I would put it in writing that you understand their wishes for you to cover your tatoos, but that the work jumper is affecting your health in the hot weather. I would then request permission to wear an alternative long sleeved garment that you can mutually agree upon, and would also request that they respond in writing to you.

 

Get it all in writing and keep a copy of your letter. They'll either have to back down or if they write back 'no' they'll be putting themselves in a very silly position which you can seek legal advice on.

[Bigredbus]

Is that jumper, you are wearing, part of the brand's uniform? If yes, then your contract, or statement of particulars of employment will shed light on your obligations. If it not, you may want to tell them that you'd prefer wearing something lighter which would, nevertheless, cover your tattoos.

Your employer has a duty of care... Visit the HSE website for more info on heat stress at work (http://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/geis1.pdf).

[Hacked_Off]

Thanks for the replies

 

I had the tattoos done before starting with them. They were on show at my interview. IT says in our employee handbook that "excessive tattoos must be covered". Ihave the majority of my right arm done so they consider this excessive. I dont have any problems whatsoever covering them as i dont want to be dealing with questions from customers about them whilst im working. The jumper im made to wear is a company uniform. I spoke to our big manager today about it and it making me sick yesterday. He said they have a company cardigan that is meant for managers but he will order me one. Ive been told by someone else that it is quite thick so ill have to wait till he brings it to see if it will be any better than the jumper thats IF i get it at all.

[Hacked_Off]

Hmmm still waiting for cardi..

[skonk]

I think it's sad in this day and age that companies still see tattoos as bad thing. I agree in certain jobs, they may be out of place, and may not project a good image of the business, but there's a hell of a lot of jobs, like shop work, where it wouldn't matter how much you were tattooed, as long as you done the job to the best of your abilities.

 

I've got two full sleeves, and my legs are covered. I got a tattoo on the back of my neck whilst i was still working, and they had no problem with it, but I found it was mainly the elderly generation who made remarks about them. Majority of them, mainly the men, would be fascinated and show me their old sailor tattoos they got when they were in the war, and they were really nice people, but on the other hand, some of them refused to be served by me because of them!

 

Good luck to you, zarah. Maybe one day, opinions will change, and the way it's going these days, you're in the minority if you don't have one! But that's another thread!

[Bigredbus]

You should talk to your manager, again, and remind him that he offered to order you a 'cardigan' on 03 February and you are still waiting for it...

[Hacked_Off]

Basically ive been doing mad hour in work. Today i did 9 1/2 hours. They told me i was entitled to 30 min! surely tis isnt right. I asked if i could go outside for a fag late ron wen it was qiete and he said no! In the employee handbook it says anything over 9 hours and its up to the manager to give you additional breaks so its not a definate no hes just being ..well...a tool even though i did him a favour doing extra. I decided to go out anyway and the area manager saw me and pulled me on it so im expecting a telling off to morrow and need something concrete on breaks i can print of. Thanks in advance!

[pompeyfaith]

Here you go straight from the government

 

Rest breaks : Directgov - Employment

 

Oh and here is the search

 

http://www.google.co.uk/search?q=work+breaks+required+by+law&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&aq=t&rls=org.mozilla:en-GB:official&client=firefox-a

[Hacked_Off]

Yep ive seen that it doesnt say what the entitlement is for more than 9 hours.

[Hacked_Off]

Ok so im still waiting for my cardi!! Ive asked him about it hes said its been ordererd. Then he asked ME if id had it yet. Is aid well clearly notr or id be wearing it!! NOw hes saying its been ordererd again. i get the impression im just being fobbed off. One of the other girls told me she waited 3 years for a fleece!!!

[Hacked_Off]

http://www.consumeractiongroup.co.uk/forum/employment-problems/245558-discrimination.html

[elpulpo]

In 9 1/2 hours, your statutory rest entitlement would be 20 minutes.

[Hacked_Off]

nope its 30 min for 6 hours!!!

[elpulpo]

Rest breaks : Directgov - Employment

20 minutes every 6 hours.

So unless you work over 12 hours a day, you're entitled to nothing more than 20 mins.

[scousegeezer]

Zararh,

Sorry you are wrong and Elpulpo is right. (when you have been on here long eough you will learn not to challenge vertain people - Elpulpo is one of them). By law 20 mins if you work more than six hours in a day. Anything else depends on whether your union has been able to negaitiate a longer peiod or two small breaks - therefore speak to your union reo - if you have one.

 

Cheers - Scousegeezer

[meols cop]

What does it say in your contract of employment? I assume you have one.

[elpulpo]

Zararh,

Sorry you are wrong and Elpulpo is right. (when you have been on here long eough you will learn not to challenge vertain people - Elpulpo is one of them). By law 20 mins if you work more than six hours in a day. Anything else depends on whether your union has been able to negaitiate a longer peiod or two small breaks - therefore speak to your union reo - if you have one.

 

Cheers - Scousegeezer

YEH.

[Hacked_Off]

So, another job another tax charade!! i basically gave them everything i was supposed to and im STILL on emergancy. Ive written again to the other two employers who STILL as far as im aware havnt gave the tax office the details they need. What can i do 2 years of emergancy tax is taking the ****!!!!

[Hacked_Off]

over two weeks work havnt paid me for 12 hours i worked. 8 hours from last week and 4 from this week. i asked one of the managers and was told "i cant deal with that i havnt got enough experience" .Sometimes if you clock on 1 min late you lose 15 min pay. im paid by the hour. I am also on emergancy tax and have been for 6 months. The tax office are telling me to see work, work are telling me to go the tax office. Ive been trying to book 1 day off on the 2nd may. Ive given them 8 weeks notice. Now 3 weeks after i asked 2 other ppl have asked for the same day. The manager is saying they asked first when they didnt. When i asked him he said hed write it on the calender for me. The next day he hadnt so i did it myself. Ive lost my holidays for this year because he refused to let me take a week so now i will lose the 12 days ive saved up. Also weve not een getting are 15 in break untill the last hour of our shift. Tonight we were due to finish at 8.30 i didnt get mine until 8 pm. Ive told them this is illigal but all im told is "its in the handbook" :mad::mad:

[honeybee13]

Hi zara. You've had a few threads on the forum, I believe. Have you tried a read of the ACAS website, or speaking to their helpline? They should be able to advise you.

[Hacked_Off]

I needed last Sunday off work. I gave them 8 weeks notice. The manager said it was fine. Then he said it wasnt. So i tld them either way i was having it off. They got cover for me and granted it. I specifically asked the manager if i would get paid for it. He assured me i would. I havnt. One manager told me "i dont know how to fix that" another "it will be on next weeks" now there saying i wont get paid because it was covered. I have myself covered for people while they have been off and they have had no problems with holiday pay. on friday i asked the manager to look into it she said she would and didnt. she slinked out without telling me. The area manager was in today and i asked for a word. She told me "in a min" then left without speakin to me. Do i have sufficent grounds now to go to the tribunal as i have spoken to 4 diffeent managers and they havnt done a thing apart from fob me off. I have been employed with them for 7months and havnt had a single booked day off apart from last sunday because every time i aske im told no or they make a big deal of it. I have 17 days stored up and they wont let me use them.other employees have no problem booking time off. Im seriously stressed andneed it off but they wont let me and even if they did they prob wouldnt pay me:???:

[cardiffboy500]

I would start by raising a formal grievance using your companies grievance procedure. I appreciate you have already raised the matter with various managers, but start the proper channels. It is probably too early to consider a Tribunal approach, see what the outcome of your grievance is first.

 

CB500

[Hacked_Off]

Thats what i was thinking. Is there any descent template letters about?