SINGAPORE: A retail worker was stunned after discovering that his manager was enforcing a workplace rule that bans staff from eating outside during their break, only allowing them to “order takeaway food and eat in the store pantry.”
Posting on the r/askSingapore subreddit on Sunday (March 16), he vented his frustration, saying that he found the policy “ridiculous.” He argued that break time is a basic entitlement—one of the few chances employees have to step away from work and reset mentally.
Yet rather than allowing that small freedom, the company kept them confined to the store, making it feel as if they were never truly off the clock.
“Is this even normal?” he wrote. “I can’t get a real break. The manager would just call me anytime during the break just to go back to work if the store gets too busy due to their lack of manpower.”
He noted that in his previous retail and packing jobs, there had never been such restrictions, and he had always been free to leave the premises during breaks.
Beyond the unfair rule, he found the job itself to be incredibly demanding. Despite being only three days into the role, he already felt like he had “aged a few months” due to the long hours and stressful workload.
“This job is actually very demanding for a measly low S$2,000 pay dealing with expensive stock. If anything goes missing and no one takes responsibility, we all have to cover the loss. After calculating the break time, I literally work 10 hours a day,” he said.
Frustrated, he made his decision clear: “This is just stupid. I’m planning to quit as soon as I find something better. Eating in the store pantry isn’t a break,” he continued.
“This is worse than the army…”
In the comments section, one Singaporean Redditor said, “I get you. I’m someone who prefers to eat outside of the pantry because I need my own space, too. I hope you find a better job, man! Very hard to find now for some reason.”
Another advised him to push back, “Tell your boss ‘no’, laugh in his face and go. Retail always has a shortage of people. You have to understand—they need you more than you need them. The power is in your hands. Check your contract and see if there’s anything about break times. If they breach it, you can fire them.”
Some speculated that the rule was about maintaining the store’s public image. “I worked in the F&B before, and we were not allowed to eat out either. Also in a small pantry,” one wrote.
And then there were those who simply summed it up in disbelief: “This is worse than the army. WTF.”
Break time for employees
According to the Ministry of Manpower (MOM), employees working more than six hours straight are entitled to a break. Those on eight-hour shifts must get at least a 45-minute meal break to rest and recharge. However, the regulations do not define where employees can take their breaks, meaning policies on this may differ between companies.
Featured image by freepik (for illustration purposes only)