Anyone else work in a restaurant?

[FactoryGirl]

I am a general manager of a very busy, quite high profile restaurant, we can do up to 200 covers on a Saturday evening, which for a fine dining restaurant is loads!

This means that I have a very stressful job, in the next few weeks we have a new menu change coming up which means I have lots of training to conduct and to put the new menu on the till system. We have Mother's Day coming up, a day where we can do up to 400 customers. We are also hosting a wedding open day which I am organising. As well as a new Sunday lunch menu being launched, all by the end of March!

I spend most of my days on my feet and work over 50 hours most weeks. My shortest shift is 8 hours, but I normally do 10-12 hour shifts. I often work until midnight or later and can be starting work the next day at 9:30am. The chefs sometimes like to think they are Gordon Ramsey and are quite happy to shout at me, the things they say can be so harsh that I've even reported one of them for bullying to my bosses.

I don't want to tell my bosses until I'm 12 weeks but I'm worried that the stress of keeping this a secret and the stress of work is going to be really bad for the baby. I'm so scared that I will miscarry.

Has anyone got any advice to help me stay calm and not get stressed so easy?

 

[tallybee]

Gosh that sounds incredibly stressful! If it was me i think I'd have to weigh up the benefits of telling work about the pregnancy earlier x good luck

 

[Sb86]

I work in a very busy city center restaurant and also work 10-12 hour shifts. We only get a 45 min break and that is ONLY if we work over 10 hours. So even on a 9 hour shift, were I am on my feet constantly, there is no break.

Im 11 weeks pregnant and I'm off sick at the moment because it's too hard for me. My boss knows I am pregnant but I am offered no extra breaks, and because the restaurant is so busy it would be hard to find time for a rest anyway - oh, and we don't have a staff room so Id have to go sit outside by the bins if I wanted a break whilst the restaurant is full.

I intend to hand my notice in after my 12 week scan next week. I can't handle it anymore.

 

[icklemonster]

I work in a very busy city center restaurant and also work 10-12 hour shifts. We only get a 45 min break and that is ONLY if we work over 10 hours. So even on a 9 hour shift, were I am on my feet constantly, there is no break.

Im 11 weeks pregnant and I'm off sick at the moment because it's too hard for me. My boss knows I am pregnant but I am offered no extra breaks, and because the restaurant is so busy it would be hard to find time for a rest anyway - oh, and we don't have a staff room so Id have to go sit outside by the bins if I wanted a break whilst the restaurant is full.

I intend to hand my notice in after my 12 week scan next week. I can't handle it anymore.

I'm guessing you're in Leeds UK? If so, your employer is breaking the law. They must give you a 20 minute break every 6 hours. https://www.gov.uk/rest-breaks-work/overview
You are being forced out of your job because they are not sticking to workers rights - I'd phone ACAS and discuss your options before quitting.

OP - that sounds really tough too! In your position I would tell someone, so that you can ask for some support if needed, and people understand your request isn't because you usually wouldn't be able to cope. xxx

 

[Sb86]

I'm guessing you're in Leeds UK? If so, your employer is breaking the law. They must give you a 20 minute break every 6 hours. https://www.gov.uk/rest-breaks-work/overview
You are being forced out of your job because they are not sticking to workers rights - I'd phone ACAS and discuss your options before quitting.

OP - that sounds really tough too! In your position I would tell someone, so that you can ask for some support if needed, and people understand your request isn't because you usually wouldn't be able to cope. xxx

Hello! Yes I'm in leeds UK.
Thing is, I know they are breaking the law - but I can't do anything about it. I've tried to say something but no one cares because 1) no one else gets breaks either, and 2) everyone's Young so they're not that fussed.
Honesty, I'm fighting a loosing battle. I get bitched about now because I make a big deal out of it.

Another thing, this restaurant isn't a chain - the one I work in is the original, now there are 4 altogether, but we don't even have an HR department for me to go to - and the owners..don't get me started.

Anyone who lives in Leeds/Manchester/Nottingham - this place is in your city too
Haha xx

 

[FactoryGirl]

Sounds like grounds for constructive dismissal if you ask me SB86.. I'm not far away, I'm just over in Manchester, so we are very similar, city center busy restaurants. I'm only 5 weeks, but I am very tired already and I often have to do a lot of heavy lifting. I'm lucky in that I know work will support me when I tell them, I'm just not ready to tell them.

We are the same though, you only get breaks if you are working a long shift.. Lucky for me because I am the manager I can just walk off and sit down and no one can tell me otherwise. I can also ask other people to lift things for me if they are really heavy.

Have you had a sit down with the big bosses at your work and told them that you are really struggling and will need to take more regular breaks?

 

[Sb86]

Sounds like grounds for constructive dismissal if you ask me SB86.. I'm not far away, I'm just over in Manchester, so we are very similar, city center busy restaurants. I'm only 5 weeks, but I am very tired already and I often have to do a lot of heavy lifting. I'm lucky in that I know work will support me when I tell them, I'm just not ready to tell them.

We are the same though, you only get breaks if you are working a long shift.. Lucky for me because I am the manager I can just walk off and sit down and no one can tell me otherwise. I can also ask other people to lift things for me if they are really heavy.

Have you had a sit down with the big bosses at your work and told them that you are really struggling and will need to take more regular breaks?

What do you mean when you say it sounds like grounds for constructive dismal? You mean they could dismiss me? ..wish they would.

The owners I haven't sat down with - im not sure they would be that helpful, and my managers and GM I'm finding aren't very approachable. I've worked for them for 2 years now - the restaurant opened 2 and a half years ago and im the first one to be having a baby so I've got no one to compare to.

I was off sick for 6 weeks at the end of 2013 and they didn't pay me any SSP, they just put a few hundred quid in my account from theirs! Mental.

 

[Sb86]

Dismal .. Haha, I meant dismissal!!

 

[icklemonster]

Sounds like grounds for constructive dismissal if you ask me SB86.. I'm not far away, I'm just over in Manchester, so we are very similar, city center busy restaurants. I'm only 5 weeks, but I am very tired already and I often have to do a lot of heavy lifting. I'm lucky in that I know work will support me when I tell them, I'm just not ready to tell them.

We are the same though, you only get breaks if you are working a long shift.. Lucky for me because I am the manager I can just walk off and sit down and no one can tell me otherwise. I can also ask other people to lift things for me if they are really heavy.

Have you had a sit down with the big bosses at your work and told them that you are really struggling and will need to take more regular breaks?

What do you mean when you say it sounds like grounds for constructive dismal? You mean they could dismiss me? ..wish they would.

The owners I haven't sat down with - im not sure they would be that helpful, and my managers and GM I'm finding aren't very approachable. I've worked for them for 2 years now - the restaurant opened 2 and a half years ago and im the first one to be having a baby so I've got no one to compare to.

I was off sick for 6 weeks at the end of 2013 and they didn't pay me any SSP, they just put a few hundred quid in my account from theirs! Mental.

Constructive dismissal is where you are forced to quit a role, which can be for a number of reasons, in your case because they haven't been complying with the law on breaks which is making you tired and ill in pregnancy. Factory girl is entirely correct, I think this sounds like a clear cut case.

It is actually very good news you have been there for 2 years. It means you have far more rights once you have been at an employers for 2 years or more (you have very limited rights before 2 years). The first step you need to take is put it in writing to your employers that they are breaking the law and need to give you breaks. If they then don't comply I'd be marching them off to an employment tribunal and hoping for a nice pay-out. They deserve it not allowing a pregnant employee breaks.

I would definitely phone ACAS on Monday so you can seek further advice.

 

[Sb86]

Thank you for all this new information - I was completely unaware of there being anything I can do about it.

 

[kaths101]

Sb86 that sounds horrendous they are breaking the law as a pp said, before you leave could you tell them you are pregnant and then they HAVE to give you breaks and do a risk assessment..

OP, I worked in a restaurant /bar when I was pregnant with my first and it is hard, really hard. The stress and constantly being on your feet is a killer.
I was a manager too though so was able to sit down etc. I couldn't imagine doing a 10 hour shift

 

[Sb86]

Sb86 that sounds horrendous they are breaking the law as a pp said, before you leave could you tell them you are pregnant and then they HAVE to give you breaks and do a risk assessment..

OP, I worked in a restaurant /bar when I was pregnant with my first and it is hard, really hard. The stress and constantly being on your feet is a killer.
I was a manager too though so was able to sit down etc. I couldn't imagine doing a 10 hour shift

Hi Kaths
My work know I am pregnant, they've known for 2 months now. Still no risk assessment done and no breaks.

 

[FactoryGirl]

Sb86 that sounds horrendous they are breaking the law as a pp said, before you leave could you tell them you are pregnant and then they HAVE to give you breaks and do a risk assessment..

OP, I worked in a restaurant /bar when I was pregnant with my first and it is hard, really hard. The stress and constantly being on your feet is a killer.
I was a manager too though so was able to sit down etc. I couldn't imagine doing a 10 hour shift

Hi Kaths
My work know I am pregnant, they've known for 2 months now. Still no risk assessment done and no breaks.

Have you told them in writing? I'm just thinking that if you go down the constructive dismissal route you need as much evidence as you can get! Good luck with everything xxxx

 

[FactoryGirl]

OP, I worked in a restaurant /bar when I was pregnant with my first and it is hard, really hard. The stress and constantly being on your feet is a killer.
I was a manager too though so was able to sit down etc. I couldn't imagine doing a 10 hour shift

I have my first appointment with my doctor in 10 days, I'm going to ask her if she thinks I need to tell work before I'm 12 weeks... My bosses will support me, I know they will, but I just don't want to tell them until I'm past that 12 weeks mark!