Q: are employers able to say when someone is able to take restroom breaks, and form restrictive conditions at will ?
while in the restroom i was told to continue working while others took their break. i asked for the supervisor and lead to explain the situation and they said . "you can not go to the restroom 10 to 15 mins before breaks and we have informed all employees " i asked my coworkers and they tell me they had no idea this was a rule and where not informed of this either.
shortly after the supervisor and lead host a meeting in regards to this .
A:
There is nothing unlawful about what your employer has done.
You do not have an unfettered right to use the toilet at any time you wish when you work for an employer. It is lawful for an employer to tell you that you need to hold it until your break or meal period. If you have a hard time with that, drink less, or find another employer to work for.
The exception to this general rule is if you have a medical condition that requires more frequent restroom breaks, give the employer a doctor's note indicating that need and the employer will have an obligation to reasonably accommodate that restriction as long as doing so would not create an undue hardship on the employer.
As to your question about imposition of new rules, your employer has no legal obligation to even tell you its rules. You can be discipline or even terminated for violating a rule you were never made aware of.
Good luck to you.
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