In Switzerland, where time is money for the famous watch industry, a court ruled that a watch manufacturer had the right to tell its workers: “If you need a bathroom break, click in and take it at your leisure. »
An investigative report by public broadcaster RTS revealed this weekend how a regional court in the western part of Neuchâtel ruled that manufacturer Jean Singer & Cie SA had the right to ask its workers to make a watch without to go to the toilet.
The case highlighted what some see as a flaw in labor law in this wealthy Alpine country, which is known for its consistency.
According to the decision – handed down in June, but made public last month – labor inspectors learned about the clocking-in requirement when they visited a site at the time of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2021.
Investigators ordered the company to stop the practice, alleging it violated federal labor law that protects workers’ personal needs and arguing it could force workers to “retain or fail to retain water, which can cause serious physiological problems. ” according to the judgment.
In his lawsuit against the order, Singer claimed that his employees had “a great deal of freedom” during their holidays – and that length was “left to each individual’s discretion.” -work” – and that the Pointing system didn’t want managers to know about it. why workers were being taken.
Pascal Moesch, a lawyer for the 105-year-old family business, told RTS that the company believes that “it’s generally a work break – whether it’s a toilet break, a meal break, a break a break, a phone break (or) a walk in nature. Whatever the reason for the break, you must enter. “
The court said that while Swiss law is clearer on issues such as toilet hygiene and the right of business directors to make decisions based on the specific needs of their business, there was still a “gap” in relation to infringement concerns. bathroom, which suggested that lawmakers could. you have to step in to fill it out.
In its judgment, the court wrote that “Swiss law does not refer to the right of workers to go to the toilet, even if this is a basic physiological need. “
The singer is not alone, although it is unclear whether such policies are widespread. Two subsidiaries of the world-famous Swatch Group asked their employees to clock in to use the toilet, but the parent company said it was not aware of any breach of policy of the company – and that she stopped it immediately.
“We do not ask our employees to clock in when they use the restroom,” Swatch’s press office said in an email to The Associated Press.
“Last week we were told of two isolated cases in our group where this had happened despite this,” he said. As soon as we became aware of this practice, we immediately brought the situation into line with the group standards at both companies.”
2024-10-09 22:27:00
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