Archived Cashier Breaks

[FallenAngel]

I always timed my 15 from when I walked by the timeclock. Just like taking my 30. As far as not having water at the register, with it being summertime and pretty hot, all you need to do is get a doctor's note. All I did was email my primary doc, explain that I needed a note to keep water at my register and he wrote me one, no questions asked.

 

[thetargetman]

When I am the breaker I get people who do that all the time. I have one team member who seems to take 10mins OVER to come back. I usually give 5 mins before the break just in case but so many take advantage of it. I try to ignore it but I hate "telling" on a team member.

 

[neversaynever]

I don't mean to be a B, it if I hear, "just get a doctors note" one more time, I'm going to scream.

I *just* got Medicaid coverage on some reason no one can tell me why (I still make too much $, and don't qualify for subsidies to get it cheap). Before that, for 3+ years, I did not have ANY coverage, so getting that not was not something I could do.

In fact, I still can't easily get it because I haven't been able to get into my new primary.

It is a HUMANE thing. The rest of the friggin' people can easily get drinks or have something handy.

Except those of us at the front lanes.... The ones currently expected to engage and talk to every. Single. Guest.

So, hopefully I can get one when I get back from vacation, but it isn't as easy as a lot of people seem to think....

 

[Retail Girl]

I hate the "no drinks at the lanes" rule.

What I tell my cashiers is that it's not allowed: but if it's water, I don't care and will look the other way. But if an LOD questions them on it, they are on their own and I don't know anything about it.

 

[Retail Girl]

Our old ETL-GE was a stickler about this. Until one day he met his match. He approached one of our cashiers who is absolutely great...does everything without asking, trains the new ones, gets redcards...the only thing we can't get her to do is hit that damn back up button.

Anyway, he tried to tell her she couldn't have water at the register. She said her mouth got dry talking to everyone and she needed it. He told her she couldn't have it. She said that was fine, and if he had a problem with it, he could fire her...she didn't care. (She has a great govt retirement pension and doesn't need the job). He didn't know what to say to that. Nobody ever bothered any of us again about it.

 

[tgtguy]

Part of the issue may be that if they let one work center have it ( water) then all work centers will start complaining. We had a small radio in the backroom for years...then one day someone went to HR and complained asking why was it fair that we got to listen to music and they didn't etc....so they took it away.

 

[PinkZinnia]

I always set the timer on my phone too. It's funny how the "texters" have no concept to do that. I can't wait for a new gstl to get to our store. One that will sort of take charge and remind the abusers of targets rules on front end etiquette.

Occasionally I cover gstl/GSA,s breaks. When I can, I will remind the time abusers that its 4:30 (or whatever time it is) and I will see them back in 15 min. Or if the restroom abuser says they need to use the bathroom, I will say, just take it as your break and I will see you in 15 min. They are never happy about it. Many of them feel they are entitled to use the bathroom whenever they feel like it. Honestly, if you can't consistently wait 2 hours to use the bathroom, then you have a problem and need to see a doctor.

 

[FallenAngel]

Anyway, he tried to tell her she couldn't have water at the register. She said her mouth got dry talking to everyone and she needed it. He told her she couldn't have it.

I tried that at my store. Since we were allowed to have it for months, then suddenly it was.. get a note. My argument was that they want us to talk up the red card, cartwheel, the survey, beg for 9's and 10's and so forth and so on, with every guest, that we should be allowed to have water. The response was a shrug, an awkward look (since he knew I had a point) and the whole "it's policy, you need a doc note" BLAH. Luckily my doc doesn't have a problem writing me a note for stupid little things like that. I feel bad for those that don't have it as easy.

Honestly, if you can't consistently wait 2 hours to use the bathroom, then you have a problem and need to see a doctor.

To be fair, for those that can't get those doc notes, and pound water down on their breaks, they might not be able to wait. Also in some cases, pregnancy and childbirth can weaken the bladder, giving the person a much shorter "hold it" timeframe. Or they could be on medication. You never know. I know that on the really hot days, even though I keep a water at the register, I still end up grab a cold water on my break and pound it. Within an hour I need to go. Not saying I never used the bathroom excuse just to get away. I definitely have. Especially on those shifts that run between 5-6 hours when I've gotten gypped on my half hour. But it definitely wasn't an everyday thing.

 

[PinkZinnia]

I'm talking about the constant abusers.. The same ones who complain about everything. The ones who think everything is unfair at target. The ones who milk everything they can out of the job. The lazy ones.

 

[Retail Girl]

It's so odd...I rarely use the bathroom at work. I just don't have to go. It doesn't matter if it's a four or fourteen hour shift...if I go once, it's an oddity for me.

I will never deny someone a bathroom break...and heck, when you gotta go number two, sometimes you just gotta go! We're all human...so someone needs to step away for a couple of minutes...I can cover that or find someone who can. If that's the most difficult part of my day, then I've probably overlooked something.

 

[PinkZinnia]

We are allowed to have water as long as its in a bottle with a top, your name is on it and its kept out of sight

 

[thetargetman]

at my Target we are not allowed to have water unless you have a doctors note. during these hot muggy summers I bring a small bottle of water and I keep it out of sight. one night the LOD caught me and questioned it and I politely explained "it is very hot out my mouth is dry, I need the water and I would rather not leave the lanes with it being so busy and you only having two cashiers up here"

 

[EagleEye]

When I start as GSA I'm already sure I'll look the other way if the cashiers want a small container of water kept out of sight. On the floor, we were able to go to the water cooler in the back room and get water, so they should be allowed as well. Now that doesn't mean they can be up there with Starbucks or energy drinks...just water. I think my TLs already don't mind it so it shouldn't be an issue.

 

[redeye58]

I fix a LOT of water cups for the cashiers at our store since we're in the sun belt but the clear cups aren't very visible.
As RG says, they're allowed to have them as long as they're kept out of sight & sipped discretely.
If certain LODs see 'em, you're on your own.

 

[IHeartCarts]

I don't understand why it's a policy in the first place. Are they afraid of spills? Worried the cashiers might have to use the bathroom after the whole cup they drank? It's ridiculous and I don't even cashier.

 

[spoilers]

I don't understand why it's a policy in the first place. Are they afraid of spills? Worried the cashiers might have to use the bathroom after the whole cup they drank? It's ridiculous and I don't even cashier.

we were told that having liquids near the computers is against some policy... bc ya know a water bottle with the top screwed on and hidden under the bench thing at the very end of the register is *so* risky

 

[Retail Girl]

We put ours underneath the phone on the little ledge near the floor...it is no where near the computers (unlike, say, the LOD Starbucks drinks in the TSC).

I suspect it's an image thing...ooh...employees drinking water...wouldn't want to shop someplace knowing the employees are hydrated!

 

[Kompa]

Reading through this whole thread makes the cashiers seem like the exact opposite of FLOW lol.

Cashiers can't have water / Flow walks around with huge bottles of Gatorade
Cashiers have to ask for restroom breaks / Flow takes theirs whenever they want, and for however long.
Cashiers 15min starts when they leave the register / Flow's start when they get outside and start talking
Chasiers can't "extend" their breaks / Flows 15 turns in 20, and their 30 turns in to 40 most of the time

I could not be a cashier under those conditions. Just the no water alone would drive me mad

 

[BullseyeBabe]

Like I stated earlier, cashiers are held to different standards than everyone else in the store. They are paid the same or less than everyone else but they are definitely not treated the same.

 

[redandkhaki]

so I have this cashier who is always off her lane and I can never figure out where she goes. Tonight she went missing 4 different times and it was far to busy to ask her where she was. Then i'm in the restroom checking it and in the last stall and she comes in and is talking on her phone about how she just took her 6th giftcard of the night from a guest! lol.. I hope those extra bathroom breaks were worth it tonight!

 

[buliSBI]

Never micro manage your cashiers. If they need to get a drink of water or run to the bathroom...let them. If they start abusing that privilege, then start telling them they have to use their break time or coach them.

 

[Barcode]

I fix a LOT of water cups for the cashiers at our store since we're in the sun belt but the clear cups aren't very visible.
As RG says, they're allowed to have them as long as they're kept out of sight & sipped discretely.
If certain LODs see 'em, you're on your own.

I don't know, I told cashiers they could have water, and if an LOD got on their case about it I would (and have) backed them up.

 

[Barcode]

so I have this cashier who is always off her lane and I can never figure out where she goes. Tonight she went missing 4 different times and it was far to busy to ask her where she was. Then i'm in the restroom checking it and in the last stall and she comes in and is talking on her phone about how she just took her 6th giftcard of the night from a guest! lol.. I hope those extra bathroom breaks were worth it tonight!

Fired in tears? ;o

 

[Bananas Foster]

Reading through this whole thread makes the cashiers seem like the exact opposite of FLOW lol.

Cashiers can't have water / Flow walks around with huge bottles of Gatorade
Cashiers have to ask for restroom breaks / Flow takes theirs whenever they want, and for however long.
Cashiers 15min starts when they leave the register / Flow's start when they get outside and start talking
Chasiers can't "extend" their breaks / Flows 15 turns in 20, and their 30 turns in to 40 most of the time

I could not be a cashier under those conditions. Just the no water alone would drive me mad

It depends on the store. Flow team members at my store have been told no drinks allowed. I guess they don't want them to loose those precious few seconds it would take someone to stop and take a sip instead of pushing the line. I think it is simply inhumane to deny people from drinking as needed, especially in the summer when it is hot as hell on the truck.

 

[thetargetman]

I try to also keep in mind who is around me before I ask if I can leave if it is a very fast cashier it is usually ok but I also have a few cashiers who are not as fast and I would never leave them alone if I can help it. but sometimes when you got to go you got to go but I try not to abuse it.