Is this legal?

MmmmmCheese

Hi all,
Just a few questions I'd like to ask, hopefully someone will have some answers.

First of all in the place I work we get deducted 3.00 euro every week to cover the costs of our uniform. I'm fairly sure this isn't right in the first place and anyway wouldn't this cost be covered after a few months?

As well as this, 50 cent is deducted per every working hour to cover the cost of employee food (its a fast food company) even if you don't eat the food. Is this legal?

Also I would like to ask, how much of a break am i entitled to for working a 10 hour shift?

allthedoyles

1. An employee shall be entitled to a rest period of not less than 11 consecutive hours in each period of 24 hours during which he or she works for his or her employer.
2. An employer shall not require an employee to work for a period of more than 4 hours and 30 minutes without allowing him or her a break of at least 15 minutes.
3. An employer shall not require an employee to work for a period of more than 6 hours without allowing him or her a break of at least 30 minutes; such a break may include the break referred to in ( 2) above .

Read more at the Organisation of Working Time Act : >
http://www.irishstatutebook.ie/1997/en/act/pub/0020/index.html

I-Shot-Jr

I have a nine hour shift with an hour and fifteen minute break, that seems to be the average amongst most of my working friends that I have asked, 10 hours? I'd expect maybe an hour and a half. As for the deductions, they do seem dodgy... but I'm not an expert. Read through your contract and contact citizens advice bureau.

jimmycrackcorm

Your employer is not allowed to forcibly take any deductions off you if it falls below the minimum wage.

Nody

I-Shot-Jr wrote: »

I have a nine hour shift with an hour and fifteen minute break, that seems to be the average amongst most of my working friends that I have asked, 10 hours? I'd expect maybe an hour and a half. As for the deductions, they do seem dodgy... but I'm not an expert. Read through your contract and contact citizens advice bureau.

It is one hour in total up to 12h of work (15 min break x2 paid + 30 min unpaid lunch break).

Rulmeq

Fast food outlets are covered by a JLC (catering), there are two, dependent on where you are working.

Dublin/Dun Laoghaire
http://www.labourcourt.ie/Labour/Information.nsf/447a09a9deaa452280256a1b0052dc2e/0f91a5896d3f4e1e802569e0003de6b1?OpenDocument

Rest of Ireland
http://www.labourcourt.ie/Labour/Information.nsf/447a09a9deaa452280256a1b0052dc2e/618df5afbe9cee3f80256a1b00550370?OpenDocument

The minimum rates are on the main pages linked above, there are also PDFs with additional information in relation to your rights.

Of course the vested interests here have been fighting to get out of these ( can't really blame them, JLCs are agreed between unions and unions by the sounds of it), but I don't think they have succeeded yet.

By law the fast food outlet should have posted the details of the JLC in your work area, along with the minimum wage list.

You are entitled to a break of at least 15 minutes when you work for 4.5 hours (paid), and a 30 minute lunch break(unpaid) when you work more than 6 hours. You are entitled to overtime if you work more than 78 hours in 2 weeks, and if Sunday is part of your scheduled work week you are entitled to double pay (that one is a bit of a sickener for the employers, and I know that 90% of them refuse to pay that one)

sue345

MmmmmCheese wrote: »

First of all in the place I work we get deducted 3.00 euro every week to cover the costs of our uniform. I'm fairly sure this isn't right in the first place and anyway wouldn't this cost be covered after a few months?

You would have been informed when you started what the cost of your uniform was or it would have at least been in your contract, I ran payroll for a large fast food chain and staff were given 2 uniforms on starting which amounted to €50 which was deducted over an agreed amount of weeks and once they left and returned the uniform it was refunded to them....Id check it out with your manager, have a look at your contract first and see what it says regarding uniforms.

MmmmmCheese wrote: »

As well as this, 50 cent is deducted per every working hour to cover the cost of employee food (its a fast food company) even if you don't eat the food. Is this legal?

That seems very odd to me, does it also state this in your contract? As I said I ran payroll for a fast food chain and employees were given free food if they so wanted it, nothing was deducted from them, also as an OP stated if this brings your hourly rate below your contracted JLC rate it would be considered illegal in my eyes anyway....