My wife works for a retail store that makes her work from opening to closing, which is 12 hours strait, and most of which she is the only employee in the store. I have already seen some osha violations such as no material safety data sheets for cemicals that are being sold and used for cleaning in store, and no safety or job training. Is there any laws about her being in the store by herself or working that long without a break? Oh, and the bathroom is messed up so she has to close the store and leave to go to the bathroom which would cost her her job, what about that as well?

There are no laws that require there be more than one employee in the store, and in NC there are no laws requiring breaks of any kind. A twelve hour shift is not illegal.

The law does require that she be given sufficient time to use the restroom, so IF she is fired because of that she would be able to make a complaint to OSHA.

Thanks for the information. She hasn't been fired but she has had alot of grief put on her as if the company is trying to get her to quit. I told her not to give in to see if her boss will do something stupid and I have to say it's working so far. He left several voice mails at her store that were very vulgar. So it will not be long before you hear about a lawsuit against her company on the news. I gave her a contact number to osha for the rest. :D

So it will not be long before you hear about a lawsuit against her company on the news.

I won't. :D I doubt that kind of story, coming from North Carolina, will make the Massachusetts news. We have our own problems, like a governor who thinks a reasonable way to solve the problem of uninsured residents is to pass a law that it's mandatory to have health insurance.

I wish your wife the best. Even though I wasn't able to give her much helpful information, I don't like employers who treat their employees that way.

Thanks, didn't think you were in another state, oops!