I'll be starting a new job this Friday at a horse stable. It's a part-time gig, Fridays and Saturdays from 2:30 to 6:30 PM. When I was interviewed by the barn manager a couple weeks ago I didn't think to ask if there was a bathroom, because the other stable I work at part-time has one…as does the stable I ride at…as does every other stable I've ever been to in my entire 25 years of being around horses. I just assumed that, like everywhere else, there would be a simple single toilet bathroom or porta potty on the property for at least the employees to use.
The other day I remembered that I had forgotten to ask the manager where the bathroom was located on the property because I didn't see one when I was at the stable for my interview. She replied they don't have one. At all. Not even a porta potty. When I asked her what do they do when they need to relieve themselves, she replied because all of the employees only work for a few hours and “work efficiently and in a timely manner” they've never had an issue with anyone needing a restroom.
The shifts are only 4 hours and 2 days a week, but my concern is that it's summer and this job is outdoors, which means I'll be drinking a lot of water…and therefore will need to pee at least once during my shift, because I have a smaller than average bladder and usually have to pee every 3-4 hours even when I'm not chugging water to stay hydrated. During fall/winter I wouldn't be concerned by this apparently anti-bathroom stance the stable has, but I genuinely don't think I'm going to be able to stay hydrated enough AND hold my pee for 4 hours during summer.
I'm extremely bummed out because I was actually really looking forward to this job (and also need it, because my other job is only 2 days per week now and I can't get more hours there). Everything else about it seems great, but this is such a huge problem for me that now I'm thinking about calling the owner and manager to tell them “I'm sorry for turning down a job 3 days before my scheduled start date, but unless you're fine with me helping myself to one of the horse's stalls to take a piss, then I'm not keen on working somewhere that doesn't believe employees are entitled to a bathroom regardless of short shifts.”