Struggling with an employee who takes excessive bathroom breaks? Those long toilet breaks can disrupt the workflow, leaving you wondering what to do. In this Q&A with Jane, learn how to handle long restroom breaks while staying compliant with restroom break laws. Get practical tips to address excessive bathroom breaks with kindness.
Question from Sarah, HR Manager:
Hi Jane,
I’m dealing with a tricky situation. One of our employees takes excessive bathroom breaks that often turn into long breaks, sometimes lasting 20-30 minutes, multiple times a day. It’s starting to affect productivity, and other team members are noticing.
I’m not sure on what to do about these long toilet breaks or how to handle it without overstepping. Are there any restroom break laws I need to be aware of?
How do you deal with an employee taking excessive bathroom breaks like this? Thanks for your advice!
Jane’s answer on how to handle an employee taking long bathroom breaks
Thank you for sending in this question. It’s a real head-scratcher that plenty of managers wrestle with!
Handling an employee who takes excessive bathroom breaks is a balancing act. You might want to keep things fair, but those long restroom breaks throw a wrench into the day. Let’s tackle this with a clear plan on what to do, while keeping restroom break laws in mind and addressing those pesky breaks.
Find out why
First of all, figure out the “why” behind those long restroom breaks. An employee who takes excessive bathroom breaks might have a legitimate reason. It could be a medical issue (IBS or pregnancy). Restroom break laws, like the ADA in the U.S., protect workers who need extra time for health reasons. OSHA also mandates “reasonable” bathroom access, which means that you can’t clamp down on long toilet breaks without checking the facts.
You can start with a kind chat. Start with something like, “Hey, I’ve noticed you’re taking long bathroom breaks often. Is everything okay?” This opens the door to understanding without sounding like a workplace cop.
How to handle long toilet breaks without breaking the law?
If those long restroom breaks aren’t medical and the employee is taking excessive bathroom breaks to dodge work (maybe they’re glued to their phone), you need a plan. How to handle it? Check your company’s restroom break policy. If you have nothing in writing then draft one. Start with, “Employees get reasonable bathroom time, but frequent long bathroom breaks should be flagged to a supervisor.” Then, follow up with the employee: “Your long bathroom breaks are hitting team output. Let’s find a fix.” Keep it about productivity, not personal habits, and you’ll stay compliant with restroom break laws.
What to do if an employee’s excessive restroom breaks are impacting work?
If you still see excessive bathroom breaks, you need to start tracking patterns. Are those long toilet breaks increasing after stressful tasks? That might hint at avoidance towards work. What do you do in such scenarios? Focus on results, not minutes. Tell them, “We need to meet these goals. How can we help you to stay on track?” This will also sidestep policing long restroom breaks and keep the vibe positive.
You can also document every conversation along with dates and outcomes. It’s your shield if restroom break laws come into question later.
You’ve got this! All you need to do to handle an employee who takes excessive restroom breaks is set clear rules and stick to laws. Address those long bathroom breaks with fairness.
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