I recently started working full time at a truck stop in my hometown. On my first day working the registers, I asked my manager when employees usually take their breaks. I was told I don't get any because I'm a cashier. I didn't say anything because I didn't really want to start a confrontation on my first day.
The next day, one of my part time coworkers asked “so, when's your break?” and my manager said, “we don't do breaks.” My coworker replied, “she works an eight hour shift, I'm pretty sure she has to have one.” The store manager was nearby and said to the manager training me, “oh yeah, they changed company policy recently and all full time employees are entitled to breaks.”
I know for a fact that breaks have been required by state law for decades. I even got them at my old part time job, and I only worked 5 hour shifts at most. This job is a lot more physically taxing as I have to be standing still constantly for basically 8 hours straight and its killing my knees, back, and feet. But even though I have breaks, I feel like I'm heavily discouraged from actually taking them. As someone with social anxiety I find it more appealing to just suffer through 8 straight hours of work rather than “inconvenience” my coworkers since we're super understaffed.
I'm scared to quit because I just started a few weeks ago, and I don't wanna risk my chances at the already slim job opportunities in my area. What should I do? Is any of this even legal?