hours worked in a day

[welshfilmman]

my wife has started a new job with home bargains.she has been working for 4 weeks and has never done less than 45 hrs per week, even though her contract is only 24 hrs per week! today she started at 7am and finished at 10.30 pm!!!she has had no tea bought for her,no overtime breaks,and as the shop was busy in the daytime,missed out on her earlier breaks.the managers finished at reasonable times ,yet the mrs MUST stay and finish stocking the shelves.she isn't asstant manager or anything with any power,just a worker.surley this can't be right?!?she is with 1 other member of staff ( assistant manager).i thought you had to have a continuous break from work of 11 hours,yet tomorrow she's back in for 7am again for another 13hr+ shift.
should i email the company direct?should i inform the hse?she's looking for other work anyway but we believe it's easier to get a job if you're in a job

[bednobs]

what good would you emailing the company do?
why dosent she just leave after her ordinary shift finishes, they can't chain her to the shelves or till and make her stay!

[factor-fiction]

Is she being paid for the additional hours. Is she being asked to stay or told to stay?

[welshfilmman]

she was told by her manager that they cannot guarantee to keep her on if she doesn't " help out".
i was under the assumption that you had to have 11 hrs break from work if 18yrs and older?can anyone confirm this please?

[Buenchico]

You can find lots of relevant information (including contact details for the HSE) here:
http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Employment/Employe es/WorkingHoursAndTimeOff/index.htm

Chris

[Buenchico]

I was finding the relevant web page, and typing my post, while you were asking for specific information regarding the '11 hour rule'. You can find it from the link I gave but here's a direct link:
http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Employment/Employe es/WorkingHoursAndTimeOff/DG_10029451

Chris

[cassa333]

I know it might be difficult but she has to stand her ground. If she got a job for 24hrs a week then she should stick to it.

Help out where she can. They could get rid of her but at the end of the day does she really want to work for an employer who treats her like this?

I think that she needs to check her contract AND contact head office. I would ring them. They may not know how the staff at this shop are being treated.

[welshfilmman]

thanks for all your info.we had a row last night and today she had a row with her s/visor and she now has been offered another job for a diffrent employer.yippee.
so from next week she'll be working proper hours for a decent wage..again i thank you all