statutory work breaks?

mymatebob

Imani wrote: »

I always thought that if you worked with computers all day you had to be given rest breaks so you have time away from the screen
i do 6hr days and have two 15 minute breaks. those who do 8hrs have 30 minutes lunch unpaid and two 15 minute breaks, those who do 10 hour shifts are given an extra 30minutes free

http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Employment/Employees/WorkingHoursAndTimeOff/DG_10029451
this link may help your queries

You should indeed take regular break from looking at the screen but you are not necessarily entitled to a break from your workplace. Employers may get you to do other work, paperwork for example. This would count as a break under DSE regs.

Callum

In the public sector i get paid for 7 hours 10 and have a 50 minute unpaid lunchbreak.

Think yourself lucky all the money you've gotten.

superstylin

Scaredy_Cat wrote: »

I'm probably not politically correct in saying this but it really used to wind me up that smokers got a break that the rest of us didn't! I worked in one place where people would sign in to work and then go straight into the smoking room!

I always felt if they were going to get a smoking break then I should get a tea break.

It's alright Scaredy, I feel exactly the same way! There's one bloke who smokes in our office. He has a 10min fag break about every hour. That's over an hr each working day. Drives me nuts when he waltzes in 15mins late in the morning, works for half an hr then goes for a fag break. Goes to the Dentist/Dr's/Opticians during work hours and takes long lunches. Nuts I tell ya lol...rant over!

Trow

Are you a member of a union?

Despite the fact that very few people get paid lunch breaks, that doesn't mean you shouldn't try to get something back.

Getting in touch with your shop steward (if you have one) would be a good first step, your union might be able to get you something back - for example some kind of compensation in lieu of the fact that your terms will be less favourable.

If not in a union, it might be worth a trip to Citizen's Advice to see if there is anything you can do - it has been a long time since I did employment law, but there might be some regulation that would cover it?

Good luck! I know whats its like for the boss to change the rules, and thankfully we have a union in place to keep the changes to a minimum!

lexie55_2

I recently started working Sundays 10-16.30, getting 30min lunch break paid, then was told it would be unpaid. Now a new manager has arrived and has told everyone that we should now take 1 hour unpaid, due to health and safety. I also get a paid 15min break.

Staciep88

I work in admin, so at the computer all day. I work 8 - 5, five days a week and I get an hour off through out the day, Half hour at 10am, and half hour at 1pm - Unpaid. I dont know many companys that pay for your breaks.

geordie_joe

Scaredy_Cat wrote: »

I'm probably not politically correct in saying this but it really used to wind me up that smokers got a break that the rest of us didn't! I worked in one place where people would sign in to work and then go straight into the smoking room!

I always felt if they were going to get a smoking break then I should get a tea break.

I have worked with many non smokers who are jealous when smokers go for a fag.

They think nothing of standing in the kitchen, or a corridor and talking to a colleague about football/hair styles for half an hour. But complain when a smoker goes out for a smoke.

Years ago when we could smoke in the office the non smokers used to complain about that. One day they presented the boss with a petition to turn an unused room into a smoking room and ban smoking in the offices. This happened, but within a couple of months they were complaining that the corridor near the smoking room smelled of smoke. And complaining about smokers having smoke breaks.

Eventually we were told we could only smoke in the fire escape stairwell. The fire escape stairs were never used by anyone, so we agreed. We also discovered that those stairs were a short cut between floors if your office was at the back of the building. So we started using them as a short cut, and so did the non smokers. They soon started complaining that the stairwell was too smoky to use and we got moved outside. The non smokers continued to complain about us having smoke breaks, but kept getting upset when a smoker said "having another gossip break" ever time they saw non smokers talking about non work related things.

I should point out that it was not every non smoker that complained, just a smallish group who seemed to think the smokers were getting something they weren't.

mymatebob

lexie55 wrote: »

I recently started working Sundays 10-16.30, getting 30min lunch break paid, then was told it would be unpaid. Now a new manager has arrived and has told everyone that we should now take 1 hour unpaid, due to health and safety. I also get a paid 15min break.

Does this now mean you loose 30 minutes of your salary?

I wonder what H&S "rule" your manager thinks means you have to have a 1 hour break.
You should ask, especially if it affects your take home pay

lexie55_2

I stood my ground, and queried why being paid or unpaid 30 mins was a health and safety issue, could not answer that one, and so agreed that I work 30 mins unpaid. I am still disputing this as my contract was for 30 mins paid. Since this has arose manager has told everybody else in same boat that they must take one hour unpaid, some people been taking half hour for a number of years.

woohoo_postingid

"Eventually we were told we could only smoke in the fire escape stairwell."

Am I the only one that thinks this is rather ironic?