I figured you knowledgeable folks may know more about this, at least that’s the opinion I get. First time posting, please excuse anything improper and lmk if edit or removal is needed.
Family member works for Aldi, the food store, in NJ USA. Says mostly teens working there, having an issue with management overstepping bounds but since the teens are pushovers then it’s hard being the only one raising issues.
So they knew lifting boxes was part of the work, as it was outlined in the hiring process, however they’re being told to do the box lifting for like 3 hours straight without breaks and in a refrigerated environment. I looked up the OSHA guidelines, and while I have found things suggesting frequent breaks in warm areas, I haven’t found any specific requirements. Notably they say even the break room is uncomfortably cold so they take their lunch break in their car to run the heat. They brought up the issue with the conditions and have been taken from full time to part time with less than 10h scheduled in the upcoming week.
This seems sketch to me and I wonder if that’s illegal in more than one way. Does anyone know specifics on the required accommodations for what I assume falls under refrigerated warehouse work conditions or the legality of a significant reduction of hours as some form of punishment?
Bonus: they also tell me they’re held responsible for their cashier drawer and often told to check out before then being made to wait in line to verify contents at the end of shift. More of a side issue but apparently it’s a recurring issue as well.
Thanks for any input or advice!