Archived Being denied a 15 minute break?
- Thread starter Top Dollar
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And for you folks who say, "I really don't want to take one when I have things to do and shouldn't be forced to."
It is company policy for you to take those breaks,
Which means that while the bosses will let you not take them as long as it's in their best interests, the minute they will get in trouble for it or want to get rid of you, say bye bye.
It is company policy for you to take those breaks,
Which means that while the bosses will let you not take them as long as it's in their best interests, the minute they will get in trouble for it or want to get rid of you, say bye bye.
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The key word in your post is salaried. We are not salary...we are hourly, which is a huge difference.
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I agree...I like to leave things nice for the next person as well. But I've come into a mess too many times, and eventually realized that very few other people care if they leave a mess for me, so there is no point in breaking my neck to return a favor they must not really appreciate, since they refuse to return it.
RandomNerd
Working In Spiderwrap Hell
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I try to take my 15 minute breaks. Sometimes I get caught up in watching someone, merch protect, or whatever I am being asked to do - I forget about it. Then my feet remind me that I have stood in one place for far too long, and I take one. For my meals, I guess I am lucky that I don't work the sales floor because I always plan a time for my lunch, and I can simply go into the AP office, take off all my stuff, and no one will stop me as I walk to clock out. If I am working a five hour shift (which is usually a mistake), I leave a little early so I don't hit compliance. I've asked an LOD about it, and that's what they told me to do once. 10:30 am to 3:30 Pm happens every once in a while, and it's so annoying. We usually leave fifteen minutes early because taking the lunch would be a waste of time. Other than that, I love my breaks and lunch period.
I wouldn't want any reason to be fired that could easily be avoided, as well.
I wouldn't want any reason to be fired that could easily be avoided, as well.
Flabbergasted
Ex-GSA
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Yeah whenever I am closing GSTM or GSA I do not get a last break 9 times out of 10, and no one cares. I once tried to get an LOD to cover me as GSA for 15 mins and she just laughed and walked away. So if you're in any other position in the store -- sales floor, backroom, cashier, etc. -- you get all your breaks and lunches that you are entitled to, but GSAs get back to work. Gotta love Spot.
Yeah, no way the LOD'd laugh and walk away at my store. Our ETL Intern is almost always the person covering my lunch, and while I don't often decide to ask for break coverage said Intern will do just about anything I ask him to do as he was GSTL before he started his internship.
buliSBI
Former Team Member
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Just think of it like this...they and you are short changing yourself on hours. If you are scheduled a 15, take it. Your ETLs or your backups need to be covering the Front when you are on break. If they know you don't take your 15s, they will abuse it and make sure you work through them.
If they find themselves struggling if you are on break that means there needs to be more coverage. Let them face it.
If they find themselves struggling if you are on break that means there needs to be more coverage. Let them face it.
I don't know why GSA's say it's so hard to get their 15. It's extremely simple.
When your time to take it rolls around, finish up the current person. Ask the next person in line to wait a sec becuase you need to grab something/finish something up/get coverage or whatever. Take your 15. The store won't explode because someone was standing in line for 15 mins. Worst case, they bother a LoD and force them to work. You can't get in trouble because it's company policy to take it. If you're ask a lane, redirect them to the shortest line and go on break.
There's no reason to work through your 15 as a GSA and if you do, you should probably start standing up for yourself because target is walking all over you.
Yeah, no doesn't work that way.
You seem to have GSA mixed up with Guest Service TM. There's no line. GSA is the supervisor position for the front end of the store, and if any guest ever waited for 15 minutes without being helped heads would roll.
It is required to have a TL cover your breaks. Doing what you just suggested would get you fired within a week. (I mean just randomly wandering off with guests waiting for you to return 15 minutes later, finding coverage for breaks would not.)
You seem to have GSA mixed up with Guest Service TM. There's no line. GSA is the supervisor position for the front end of the store, and if any guest ever waited for 15 minutes without being helped heads would roll.
It is required to have a TL cover your breaks. Doing what you just suggested would get you fired within a week. (I mean just randomly wandering off with guests waiting for you to return 15 minutes later, finding coverage for breaks would not.)
Sometimes that is what it takes to get a point across. Why we now have Sbux coverage. The opener got flat tired of having to work 4 straight hours without so much as a potty break. One day after asking several times for coverage, and was told "in 15min" after two hours of this. She closed SBux and walked off to go potty and have a smoke. Two hours of being told "15min we will get back to you." She had enough.. That and a few of us called the hotline in the weeks before she had enough. Cause this was not a one day deal, this went on for a couple of months.
paidtosmile
Former Team Leader
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On the subject of ULV GSA's not taking their breaks:
You're almost always helping a guest directly (because the store is so small that you can afford to do that) and there's almost always somebody waiting for your help after that. In the guests' eye you're the front end manager and you need to keep up that appearance.
I did make a point to take my breaks for a while and it's very doable... but it also makes you look bad to guests (who all recognize you because they're regulars and they always see you at the front doors.) To them, all they see is you, the guest-proclaimed front end manager, saying "I can't help you because I'd rather be on break" and walking off the floor. they don't care that it's your turn to take your company-mandated breaks, based on the well-organized break schedule you've written. they just see you walking off the floor and refusing to help more guests.
God only knows that guests don't understand the retail industry, much less Target's organizational structure and systems, so that's a big part of what makes it difficult. Regardless of when you go, at least 1 guest is just going to see you denying helping somebody.
I always made a strong point to tell the LOD that I was taking my break, and anything after that was beyond me. You just ahve to force yourself to not care.
You're almost always helping a guest directly (because the store is so small that you can afford to do that) and there's almost always somebody waiting for your help after that. In the guests' eye you're the front end manager and you need to keep up that appearance.
I did make a point to take my breaks for a while and it's very doable... but it also makes you look bad to guests (who all recognize you because they're regulars and they always see you at the front doors.) To them, all they see is you, the guest-proclaimed front end manager, saying "I can't help you because I'd rather be on break" and walking off the floor. they don't care that it's your turn to take your company-mandated breaks, based on the well-organized break schedule you've written. they just see you walking off the floor and refusing to help more guests.
God only knows that guests don't understand the retail industry, much less Target's organizational structure and systems, so that's a big part of what makes it difficult. Regardless of when you go, at least 1 guest is just going to see you denying helping somebody.
I always made a strong point to tell the LOD that I was taking my break, and anything after that was beyond me. You just ahve to force yourself to not care.
What guests/customers think of you is none of your business..
My store's not remotely ULV, but not really sure why GSA responsibilities would be much different if my store was ULV. Our GSTL works 40 hours a week, but the store is open 99 hours a week + 7 (half hour before open and after close each day) = 106 hours, so most of those hours the GSTL is obviously not present. The GSA's usually don't order supplies (but do have SAP access to do so), and don't coach/discipline TM's, or attend TL meetings, but aside from that there's very little if anything that the GSTL does that our GSA's don't.
We're glad to know you care.
Isn't my job to care about work when I'm supposed to be taking my break that the company has agreed they will provide. I'll go above and beyond to help someone when I'm actually working.
paidtosmile
Former Team Leader
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...When you spend 40 hours a week at the front doors of a low volume target with a high penetration rate and a lot of the same customers, it works out in your favor if you're likable in their eyes.
No, no, I was commenting on "I could care less."
Could care less than you currently do, it means you DO care.
The word you were looking for is couldn't.
But yes, when the regular guests like and respect you, your job becomes much easier.
Flabbergasted
Ex-GSA
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I hope that was sarcasm. No, the store won't "explode," but the guest sure will.
defang
Self Checkout's Worst Nightmare
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I closed my lane to go on my half today. Hours are in the crapper right now as we all know and we only had 3 cashiers at one of our busiest times of the day. The other 2 lanes were full of people buying food and other big purchases, but not enough to require backup. After I turn my light off, a guest comes up and I turn her away since I'm closed. She complains about the lines and I say I have to go on break or I would get fired. She said "I don't care, I'm in a rush!" Little did she know, I actually was about to say I'd take her since she only had a few items. However, since she chose to not care about me, I decided not to care about her and told her that she had to wait. She complained to our GSTL, who told me that she had to keep from laughing and gave her the guest relations number to complain.
So yes, guests will explode if you don't wait on them immediately.
thatcashierdude
Former Service Desk Ninja
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As they walk away, over the walkie: "Forhyre taking 230 for 15, LOD <name> has lights"
Then take your break.
I can get a little delay in giving someone their break if there is a task that needs to be done, but if the LOD just isn't going to do it then they deserve to get screwed.
Or you could train a trusted cashier/GSTM to cover your break and give them a speed ID with your PIN written on it, that might be a little more successful/diplomatic than just walking away (which is what I would probably do in a similar situation).
Who cares? I'm on break.
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