Unrealistic, painful workload :'(

[Spa Therapist]

Hi, sorry if this thread is in the wrong place; I wasn't sure if it came under Biz or Chat...

I'm starting to get really fed up with the amount of work we are made to do at work, especially massage. For example, one particular day last week my column was 9:30am-6:30pm. Except when I turned up for my shift (I'd already been up for 2hrs as it takes me over an hour to get there) my column had actually been opened up til 8:00pm and I had 9 massages booked in. I had half an hour for lunch at 12pm and the rest of my column was back-to-back so I had 20 individual 25min treatments with only 5mins to get the client out, set room back up and get the next client in (which always runs late because other people faff about)
I suffer from low blood pressure and my blood sugar is also unstable so I have to have a snack every 3 or 4 hours otherwise I start shakin, feel faint and sickly. Well with 8hrs of constant treatment I just don't have time for this and I don't feel it's fair to make me do 10.5hrs of work like this. It's slave labour, and I'm developing Repetitive Strain Injury (particularly as it's contributing to a year old whiplash injury)

I'm having physiotherapy every week but it's far too expensive for me to keep up as I'm only on minimum wage and some weeks I am given 5hrs and other weeks I am given 60hrs!!

I've been referred for physio on the NHS but it's going to take months and this morning I can't bend my neck back.

Sorry to whinge, I really am... but I'm at my wits end and I don't know what to do about it. My boss won't listen because he wants the money from the massages. If I give him a letter from my physiotherapist or GP stating how many massages I'm advised to do, would he have a legal duty to consider this? I read something about "duty of care" regarding RSI injuries?

Sorry to waffle, any advice is appreciated
Thanks
Gina x

 

[Ruth Mills]

If you're working more than 48 hours per week, you should be covered by the European Working Time Directive (unless you have specifically signed something to opt out of it).

I think that says that you are not allowed to work for (on average) more than 48 hours per week in a given 4 week period, but you're probably best Googling it for more details.

 

[Spa Therapist]

Thanks for your reply, I appreciate it. I did say I would opt out (but they never came up with the form as it happens) because I want as many hours as possible so I can earn enough money to keep my parents and myself. But I'm not sure whether this means I'm not entitled to breaks and how much massage I'm supposed to have to do. The treatment rooms also go from one extreme to another; one minute it's freezing cold and the next it's sweltering so my body really suffers :cry:

 

[Ruth Mills]

Thanks for your reply, I appreciate it. I did say I would opt out (but they never came up with the form as it happens) because I want as many hours as possible so I can earn enough money to keep my parents and myself. But I'm not sure whether this means I'm not entitled to breaks and how much massage I'm supposed to have to do. The treatment rooms also go from one extreme to another; one minute it's freezing cold and the next it's sweltering so my body really suffers :cry:

I'm pretty sure that Health & Safety law entitles you to a break of so many minutes per hour, although again I'd recommend you look into this personally, as I only know from the point of view of working in IT, where it's recommended that you take a break from looking at the screen at least every hour or so (usually a good opportunity to grab a coffee LOL).

But if you can cite the relevant legislation that says that you are entitled to breaks, then you could say to your employer that they would be breaking the law if they don't allow you to take breaks in accordance with the legislation.

 

[Spa Therapist]

Thanks I will look into it now, I rang ACAS the other day and they were really rude and didn't help at all! Google it is!!

 

[Ruth Mills]

Thanks I will look into it now, I rang ACAS the other day and they were really rude and didn't help at all! Google it is!!

How rude! And while too much geeking out in front of a computer can fry your brain, the sort of work you are doing sounds like it's really taking its toll on you physically, which really is not on! So I really hope you can get it sorted.

 

[Spa Therapist]

:hug: Thanks Ruth! I'll report back on how I get on!

 

[Ruth Mills]

:hug: Thanks Ruth! I'll report back on how I get on!

Cool, good luck!

 

[Silver Fern]

Hi there, from what I remember you are legally entitled to 15mins break after every 4 hours worked. As regards how much massage you do I don't think there is an awful lot you can do about this legally but it might be worth having a chat with Citizens advice Bureau to see if you can get a free chat with an employment law solicitor for some advice.
Good luck

 

[weezie]

Health & Safety - Virgin Atlantic masseuse awarded £109,000 in RSI case - 25/10/2005

http://www.thompsons.law.co.uk/ltext/rsi-from-massage.htm

Thought these articles may be of interest to you.

You are being taken advantage of completely. You need to speak to your boss and tell them that you can not do this much massage. Otherwise you will have to find another job where the working conditions are better. You have every right to complain. :hug:

It may be an idea to look at your working practices for now and employ massage techniques that cause you less strain e.g hands free massage and looking at your body mechanics.

Why not contact HABIA or BABTAC for advise?

 

[Spa Therapist]

Thanks everyone :hug:

Any advice is of great help to me because I'm not very well up on employment laws - more fool me I guess! Need to wise up don't i?!

I saw the case of the Virgin Atlantic masseuse, it was very interesting reading!! I'm half tempted to waft it under my boss's nose and see what his reaction is, but that might be taken badly LOL!

I think I will pop into my local Citizens Advice Bureau and see what they suggest

Thanks for all your help!
xx

 

[orchid11]

I used to work in a place like that! Our hours was 9am to 9pm with half an hour lunch break and mostly it was massage all the time. We would complain but nothing changed. Eventually a clued up colleague complained to the boss, she had done a health and safety course, and boss knew she didnt have a leg to stand on. As said above for every 4-5 hours you are entitled to a 15min break. We had to fight for our lunch to be extended from 30 mins to 45mins, its terrible!
Needless to say I eventually left!

 

[tog]

Your working conditions sound awful, if I were you I'd be looking for another job. You don't mention if you are a beauty therapist or a massage therapist? obviously if you are qualified only in massage, then the work anywhere is going to be physically demanding, maybe you should just work part-time. If you are a beauty therapist why not try salon work where the treatments are more varied so there is less chance of RSI from doing back-to-back massage treatments.

In the meantime, could you not explain to the receptionist that you need more time between clients? maybe she doesn't even realise this?
If she takes no notice, then I suggest you just cut the treatment time accordingly so you don't make yourself late getting clients in and out. If they complain, then explain to them what is going on, and get them to address their complaint to your manager/boss, as it is not your responsibility that not enough time is booked out. That way if management start getting complaints, something will have to change.

It sounds as if your boss doesn't give a damn about good customer service though, or having happy employees either. Do you want to work in a place like that in the longterm? And you are definitely entitled to breaks, it shouldn't make a difference to the boss as presumably he wouldn't be paying you for breaks anyway, so you could point that out to him/her.

One final comment - what does your contract say about breaks, hours etc?
And if you haven't got one, then I don't see why you should bend over backwards to accommodate your boss's unreasonable demands. Try and stand up for yourself and be firm over the issue of breaks and timings of treatments. Don't let them walk all over you.

 

[hippy-chick]

You are quite frankly ruining yourself for a few pounds. If you want to be a therapist in 10 years time, it won't happen if you carry on the way you are being made to. You will burn out, get RSI and have to retrain in something else.

so, if you want to remain being a therapist ten years down the line, do something about it now!

 

[WAX inc]

you poor thing. i had exactly the same with my neck because of working to many hours with no break but stupidly i was my own boss so its my fault. i had to give up nails completely because my neck did not improve. some days i was in agony. you might have to consider a break from work to heal your neck. not good news i know but your health is the most important thing and it will just get worse if you dont rest.

 

[Velveteen]

You're not a whinger. This is an awful way to work and, unfortunately, it happens in a lot of places.

Where you say this:

with only 5mins to get the client out, set room back up and get the next client in (which always runs late because other people faff about)

we call this 'turnaround time' and if we were late, our pay was docked. To add insult to injury our pay rate was $16 per hour while the massage itself was charged out at $195 for an hour deluxe and $125 for normal hour. There have been changes to the beauty industry awards since then but it wasn't hard to find out why so many people were quitting as beauty therapists and going into other jobs.

I'm inclined to agree with Tog. Perhaps you might like to look around for another job because it's obvious they don't respect you or the other workers and, really, if you have to ask a Receptionist to stagger the treatments then it's not really worth working there in the first place.

Good luck with your action and look after yourself.