The working conditions of retail pharmacy are often discussed in forums and blogs. The lack of toilet breaks, or in Australia, the breaking of the law that occurs when the pharmacist on duty leaves the pharmacy to visit the shopping centre loo. Auspharmlist regularly has posts on this topic and our American friends blog about it often.

But I think this takes the cake. In a Medicare Australia call centre in Parramatta managers were following staff into the toilet to enforce a three minute toilet break policy.

But that’s not all. Staff had to complete a “compliance diary” where they also had to include the length of their toilet stops. If at least 92% of your time was not on the phone you were “threatened” with counselling and disciplinary action.

Now apparently this is not a national policy. And it is no longer carried out in Parramatta. Since the news article.

Anyway, I’d be buggered. I don’t wear a watch.

Source: Daily Telegraph

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Tagged as: Medicare, toilet, working conditions

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