I know someone who’s struggling at his job. He told me his job is so busy that he goes entire 9 hour shifts (including the 1 hour lunch break) without getting a chance to eat lunch but still needs to report that he did. He doesn’t even get time to use the bathroom. This is illegal, right? What can someone do in this situation? I want to help but I don’t know what course of action to take. Any advice or information is appreciated.
11 comments
Well he has a couple options.
-Change jobs
-Refuse to hand in timesheets that say he took a break when he didn’t
-Take the lunch break/go to the bathroom no matter how busy it is.
-Have the labor bureau talk to his employer to tell them it’s illegal to not allow lunch breaks
This is an important point to clarify: is the workload such that your friend finds it impossible to take lunch breaks or go to the bathroom, or has your friend been explicitly told not to take lunch breaks or go to the bathroom? If it is the latter, that is very illegal. If it is the former, then your friend should go to management and have them make sure that there is time for that. Lunch breaks are required by law, so the company has an obligation to make sure that lunch breaks happen.
Is he Japanese?
If someone isn’t letting me use the bathroom, I will drop all forms of common courtesy and civility and proceed to relieve myself on the office floor. Preferably secretly in the manager’s room while he’s away (insert The Office reference here).
Seriously speaking though, your friend needs to go to the labour bureau asap and get this sorted because it’s not only affecting him, but many others as well. If no one takes a stand, the onus is on them.
Few people in Tokyo know about the labour office… but when they do….
Tell him to take a break. Work being busy and wat time you take your break have absolutely nothing to do with one another.
This is what it means to set a dangerous precedent. Feel for guy because this sounds awful.
He is the only one who can change his situation though. He should ask himself, who is being unreasonable? My employer, asking me to skip basic human needs? Or me, for requiring the use of the bathroom and literal food?
You can’t solve this problem for him. You can offer advice, and a kind ear. But dudes gotta stand up for himself.
Find a new job and quit without notice.
Just take the break.
Is he Japanese?
If not, tell him to visit the labour office.
If he is Japanese, he’s probably just venting to you. He’s not asking a foreigner to find a solution for him and if you keep suggesting fixes he’ll likely get annoyed.
is he a robot controlled by ChatGPT or a host?