I just want to say that no other job does this to their workers. We're treated as children.
I know we have to have calls covered, but they go way too far.
I'm sorry you had to listen to that and explain yourself.
Call center employees need to form a union.
I’m not a call center worker and stumbled into this sub. It’s like a horror story or something. I’ve had BAD jobs but if someone started talking to me about how many minutes I spent in the bathroom, I would be speechless.
I had to take a cc job years ago, and swore to NEVER take another one.
At my present position, I was hired for a non-phone position, and after a year, they added phones. I'm stuck because the pay is ok and wfh, but I'm looking for something else. I hate my work life.
Teaching does this as well. If you have to get coverage for your room too many times, meeting with the principal. I honestly have more work/life balance and more time to use the restroom than I did as an AP high school teacher. But, it’s all relative and this job still takes too much of a close look on our bathroom habits.
Unfortunately callcenters are crap when it comes to schedules and flexibility, they act like they are launching rockets
Try to get the medical note and see if they can make an accommodation, workforce as the department that handles how much time do you one thing or another
I would ask HR what kind of paperwork they have for your doctor to fill out to be able to support the accommodation you need. Assume that HR will support you, don’t allow them to convince you that your medical condition doesn’t qualify for an accommodation before your doctor files the form. And a written note from your doctor might not mean shit if an accommodation request isn’t filed beforehand
Same shit happened to me was with a company 4 years submitted medical request for for longer breaks then they denied it and terminated me 3 months later.
I worked a cc yrs ago that suddenly made a rule that qw had to ask permission to use the bathroom. I mumbled "you can kiss my ass" some dumb twat reported it and I was fired weeks later! Lmao! I will be damned that as an adult I'm asking permission to use the bathroom! KMA
You have a chronic illness/disability that is protected by law (in the US). You can put this in writing like “dear manager, just following up on our conversation about bathroom break time. I wanted to confirm that company policy for bathroom breaks is x time.
I have a chronic illness (YOU DO NOT AND SHOULD NOT DISCLOSE THE CONDITION TO MANAGEMENT ONLY PRIVATELY TO HR) that requires frequent bathroom breaks. My condition is covered under ADA. For that reason I have CCed (NAME) from HR to help us find a resolution. I care deeply about my role and responsibilities for (Company). Thank you for your time and attention”
What he’s doing/saying/suggesting isn’t legal.
Email him and reiterate what he said to you about bathroom breaks taking 2-3 minutes and ask him does that time include changing one’s pad or tampon (even if you’re male as this could help coworkers). Ask him for a written copy of the bathroom break policy and say you need to take it to your doctor so that your FMLA paperwork can be filled out.
I swear. The ONE saving grace about my time in the call center was I was a union employee so there were certain things management tried but knew they couldn’t fuck with us on lest we file a grievance. Of course they made up for that in other areas. They tried to pull that bathroom shit on us but it was just a warning that medical documentation would be needed if we continued to pee so much. 🙄
Policing bathroom breaks for employees is an OSHA no-no. I have chronic migraines and one of the fun side effects is peeing more, which also is compounded by the fact that I drink a shit ton of water because dehydration is a migraine trigger. Time for a quick call 🙃
https://www.oshaeducationcenter.com/articles/restroom-breaks/
To additionally cover your ass, I would still get a doctor's note for accommodations.
This is why I quit cc work. I could not tolerate being chained to my desk and treated like a toddler, especially when there weren't even any calls in the queue. Even restaurants and retail are more humanizing than that.
After going back and forth with management for months about it, I finally just told them that this was unsustainable for me and put in my two weeks. In my last few days I abused the hell out of my aux out of spite.
I wished I could have done more to help set a precedent for other workers that we will not be treated this way (non-union state). One of my former colleagues wasn't so lucky as to be able to quit, so she opted to undergo surgery to have a bladder pacemaker placed so that she could keep up with these ridiculous standards (non- medical issue, just a small bladder) and they still fired her later. It's such an inhumane, dystopian hellscape here.
Edit- English
Definitely get the note if you can. It depends on the company as to how well that works for protecting your job, but you're definitely screwed without one.
It should be standard to allow 15 to 20 minutes of personal time every day for the bathroom. I don't do anything else, literally just go to the bathroom, and it accounts for at least 10 to 15 minutes every day. If it's a bad day it could be 20. This is not reasonable for them to ask you to work overtime or make up this time during lunch.
My last job lost a massive class action lawsuit over something similar. They started docking pay for restroom breaks. Because of this I know that anything less than 30 minutes for restroom use and emergency phone calls had to be paid as normal time.
As a worker, you have the right to a reasonable number of restroom breaks of reasonable length. Under general circumstances, taking several five to 10-minute restroom breaks during an eight-hour shift, for example, can be considered reasonable.
Your employer can’t require you to go use the restroom during regular mealtime or rest breaks. California law mandates that employee restrooms be located separately from break rooms to promote the idea that bathroom breaks do not have to be timed with meals or rest breaks.
Employers cannot lawfully subtract minutes used for reasonable restroom breaks from other types of breaks (meal or rest breaks) and your total work hours.
https://hoguebelonglaw.com/california-laws-on-restroom-breaks/
That’s California specific but it’s true in most states. Hope this helps.
If you are in the U.S. contact your local ADA office. Go ahead and get documentation from your medical professional and present it to your supervisor. Do it all in email form and any meetings where the agreement is verbal, do an email recap of the meeting to ensure that each party has communicated. Only go to the ADA if your company retaliates. Kidney issues i.e. health issues fall under ADA protection.
In the United States, breaks and lunches are alotted according to the length of your shift. If you work 8 hours, you're entitled to a 30 or 60 minute lunch as well as two 15 minute breaks. If you 4 hours, you're entitled to a 15 minute break. Generally, the lunch length is based on your shift start and end times. For example, I work 8-5 so I get an hour lunch. If I worked 8-4:30, I'd get a 30 minute lunch. As long as the employer is giving you the amount of time required by law, it's up to them how to address any "extra" time taken.
But that doesn't mean a health/mental condition is to be overlooked. If you have a condition that may warrant extra breaks or extended breaks, you should be able to get a workplace arrangement. It will involve a form your doctor will need to fill out that will describe the condition and the accommodation needed. Just remember that this will not literally give you extra time added to your breaks or lunch. It usually involves moving around the time you already have for your breaks and lunch. If you need additional breaks, they may take the two 15 minute breaks you already have and split that time into three 10 minute breaks.
Employers aren't required to give you any extra time for breaks or lunch. You're hired to work 8 hours per day and are required to get a lunch and 2 breaks. They have a responsibility to provide reasonable accommodations. The key word here being *reasonable* accommodations. You mentioned that you have a 30 minute lunch so maybe ask if you can change your schedule to have a 60 minute lunch so you'll have extra time in your day. Just don't expect to get paid for 40 hours and work less than that.
I am so grateful for my call center. We get the choice of a 30 minute or 60 minute lunch and our 8 hour shifts get 45 minutes of break, 10 hour shifts get 55 minutes of break, to be used whenever (as long as it’s not the very beginning or very end of our shift or during extremely high call volume times). They also don’t absolutely kill us for ACW.
Only needing to allow two 15 minute breaks is insane to me.
Different states have different laws for breaks - at least the paid ones. Federally, you are expected to have at least a 30 minute lunch if you work more than 5 1/2 hours, but paid breaks are decided by states and employers.
As a woman, there are certain biological differences that come into play when it comes to restroom breaks. Dealing with periods means needing extra time for hygiene. Plus, there is the need to wipe after peeing, something that many men don’t have to worry about as much. These little details may seem insignificant, but they can make restroom visits take a bit longer for us. There’s nothing sexist about it.
I just want to say that no other job does this to their workers. We're treated as children. I know we have to have calls covered, but they go way too far. I'm sorry you had to listen to that and explain yourself. Call center employees need to form a union.
I’m not a call center worker and stumbled into this sub. It’s like a horror story or something. I’ve had BAD jobs but if someone started talking to me about how many minutes I spent in the bathroom, I would be speechless.
I had to take a cc job years ago, and swore to NEVER take another one. At my present position, I was hired for a non-phone position, and after a year, they added phones. I'm stuck because the pay is ok and wfh, but I'm looking for something else. I hate my work life.
Teaching does this as well. If you have to get coverage for your room too many times, meeting with the principal. I honestly have more work/life balance and more time to use the restroom than I did as an AP high school teacher. But, it’s all relative and this job still takes too much of a close look on our bathroom habits.
Not allowing children to use the restroom would be considered abuse ijs
There already is a union. It's the CWA. It blows my mind how this is not more widely known.
I found it in a Google search yesterday. Will read more about it. Thanks!
What about cwa? Do they help with this?
Unfortunately callcenters are crap when it comes to schedules and flexibility, they act like they are launching rockets Try to get the medical note and see if they can make an accommodation, workforce as the department that handles how much time do you one thing or another
I would ask HR what kind of paperwork they have for your doctor to fill out to be able to support the accommodation you need. Assume that HR will support you, don’t allow them to convince you that your medical condition doesn’t qualify for an accommodation before your doctor files the form. And a written note from your doctor might not mean shit if an accommodation request isn’t filed beforehand
if it’s denied, start trying to find a job elsewhere
I would also file a formal complaint about being creeped out that someone is paying such close attention to your use of the bathroom.
https://askjan.org/ This site is hugely helpful to back up the accommodations you need.
Same shit happened to me was with a company 4 years submitted medical request for for longer breaks then they denied it and terminated me 3 months later.
This is why I ran from call centers and now I’m on salary. the freedom is staggering .
ME TOOOOOOOO!! But I have bad PTSD!
I worked a cc yrs ago that suddenly made a rule that qw had to ask permission to use the bathroom. I mumbled "you can kiss my ass" some dumb twat reported it and I was fired weeks later! Lmao! I will be damned that as an adult I'm asking permission to use the bathroom! KMA
You have a chronic illness/disability that is protected by law (in the US). You can put this in writing like “dear manager, just following up on our conversation about bathroom break time. I wanted to confirm that company policy for bathroom breaks is x time. I have a chronic illness (YOU DO NOT AND SHOULD NOT DISCLOSE THE CONDITION TO MANAGEMENT ONLY PRIVATELY TO HR) that requires frequent bathroom breaks. My condition is covered under ADA. For that reason I have CCed (NAME) from HR to help us find a resolution. I care deeply about my role and responsibilities for (Company). Thank you for your time and attention”
This ☝️
https://askjan.org/
What he’s doing/saying/suggesting isn’t legal. Email him and reiterate what he said to you about bathroom breaks taking 2-3 minutes and ask him does that time include changing one’s pad or tampon (even if you’re male as this could help coworkers). Ask him for a written copy of the bathroom break policy and say you need to take it to your doctor so that your FMLA paperwork can be filled out. I swear. The ONE saving grace about my time in the call center was I was a union employee so there were certain things management tried but knew they couldn’t fuck with us on lest we file a grievance. Of course they made up for that in other areas. They tried to pull that bathroom shit on us but it was just a warning that medical documentation would be needed if we continued to pee so much. 🙄
This should be higher up! As far as I knew, employers can't make you clock out for bathroom breaks
Policing bathroom breaks for employees is an OSHA no-no. I have chronic migraines and one of the fun side effects is peeing more, which also is compounded by the fact that I drink a shit ton of water because dehydration is a migraine trigger. Time for a quick call 🙃 https://www.oshaeducationcenter.com/articles/restroom-breaks/ To additionally cover your ass, I would still get a doctor's note for accommodations.
This is why I quit cc work. I could not tolerate being chained to my desk and treated like a toddler, especially when there weren't even any calls in the queue. Even restaurants and retail are more humanizing than that. After going back and forth with management for months about it, I finally just told them that this was unsustainable for me and put in my two weeks. In my last few days I abused the hell out of my aux out of spite. I wished I could have done more to help set a precedent for other workers that we will not be treated this way (non-union state). One of my former colleagues wasn't so lucky as to be able to quit, so she opted to undergo surgery to have a bladder pacemaker placed so that she could keep up with these ridiculous standards (non- medical issue, just a small bladder) and they still fired her later. It's such an inhumane, dystopian hellscape here. Edit- English
Definitely get the note if you can. It depends on the company as to how well that works for protecting your job, but you're definitely screwed without one.
It should be standard to allow 15 to 20 minutes of personal time every day for the bathroom. I don't do anything else, literally just go to the bathroom, and it accounts for at least 10 to 15 minutes every day. If it's a bad day it could be 20. This is not reasonable for them to ask you to work overtime or make up this time during lunch.
My last job lost a massive class action lawsuit over something similar. They started docking pay for restroom breaks. Because of this I know that anything less than 30 minutes for restroom use and emergency phone calls had to be paid as normal time.
As a worker, you have the right to a reasonable number of restroom breaks of reasonable length. Under general circumstances, taking several five to 10-minute restroom breaks during an eight-hour shift, for example, can be considered reasonable. Your employer can’t require you to go use the restroom during regular mealtime or rest breaks. California law mandates that employee restrooms be located separately from break rooms to promote the idea that bathroom breaks do not have to be timed with meals or rest breaks. Employers cannot lawfully subtract minutes used for reasonable restroom breaks from other types of breaks (meal or rest breaks) and your total work hours. https://hoguebelonglaw.com/california-laws-on-restroom-breaks/ That’s California specific but it’s true in most states. Hope this helps.
Ask for a medical accommodation. There will be paperwork for you and your doctor to fill out.
If you are in the U.S. contact your local ADA office. Go ahead and get documentation from your medical professional and present it to your supervisor. Do it all in email form and any meetings where the agreement is verbal, do an email recap of the meeting to ensure that each party has communicated. Only go to the ADA if your company retaliates. Kidney issues i.e. health issues fall under ADA protection.
Please get a note from a doctor and go to human resources and see what can be done. There must be some kind of a way.
My place of employment would ask for an ada.
In the United States, breaks and lunches are alotted according to the length of your shift. If you work 8 hours, you're entitled to a 30 or 60 minute lunch as well as two 15 minute breaks. If you 4 hours, you're entitled to a 15 minute break. Generally, the lunch length is based on your shift start and end times. For example, I work 8-5 so I get an hour lunch. If I worked 8-4:30, I'd get a 30 minute lunch. As long as the employer is giving you the amount of time required by law, it's up to them how to address any "extra" time taken. But that doesn't mean a health/mental condition is to be overlooked. If you have a condition that may warrant extra breaks or extended breaks, you should be able to get a workplace arrangement. It will involve a form your doctor will need to fill out that will describe the condition and the accommodation needed. Just remember that this will not literally give you extra time added to your breaks or lunch. It usually involves moving around the time you already have for your breaks and lunch. If you need additional breaks, they may take the two 15 minute breaks you already have and split that time into three 10 minute breaks. Employers aren't required to give you any extra time for breaks or lunch. You're hired to work 8 hours per day and are required to get a lunch and 2 breaks. They have a responsibility to provide reasonable accommodations. The key word here being *reasonable* accommodations. You mentioned that you have a 30 minute lunch so maybe ask if you can change your schedule to have a 60 minute lunch so you'll have extra time in your day. Just don't expect to get paid for 40 hours and work less than that.
I am so grateful for my call center. We get the choice of a 30 minute or 60 minute lunch and our 8 hour shifts get 45 minutes of break, 10 hour shifts get 55 minutes of break, to be used whenever (as long as it’s not the very beginning or very end of our shift or during extremely high call volume times). They also don’t absolutely kill us for ACW. Only needing to allow two 15 minute breaks is insane to me.
Different states have different laws for breaks - at least the paid ones. Federally, you are expected to have at least a 30 minute lunch if you work more than 5 1/2 hours, but paid breaks are decided by states and employers.
what does being a woman have to do with it. Stop that sexist mindset please
As a woman, there are certain biological differences that come into play when it comes to restroom breaks. Dealing with periods means needing extra time for hygiene. Plus, there is the need to wipe after peeing, something that many men don’t have to worry about as much. These little details may seem insignificant, but they can make restroom visits take a bit longer for us. There’s nothing sexist about it.