Right to breaks

pigsmightfly

Hi everyone,

I am currently a manager at the company I work for but am currently on maternity. The managing director is not the best person in the world to work for and can sometimes be a bit of a bully to put it politely.

Anyway, as I am off at the moment, I've had some staff that are managed by me contact me for help and advice.

We used to be able to have tea breaks as and when and eat lunch at desks etc, was very laid back. This has all been stopped not but fair enough, some people don't like people eating at desks.

However, the staff have been told they are not entitled to any breaks anymore, just half and hour for dinner and that's it.

Is there a set law/rules on how many breaks you can have? I seem to have in my head that working full time you got your lunch and were entitled to two 15 min breaks, one morning and one afternoon??

I should note as well that we work in an office on a computer screen full-time so I'm sure there are health and safety reasons for a break too??

Is there any "official" wording on these rights so I can get back to people to help them or contact the manager on their behalf??

Many thanks

SarEl

20 minutes for lunch is the only entitlement I'm afraid. It may not be good relations to abolish tea breaks but there is no requirement to offer them.

The "recommended break" for vdu screens is 10 minutes per hour - but it is not a break for coffee - it is a break from looking at the screen by doing other work activities!

dorsetlady

You are only allowed a break after six hours of working. Minimum break of 20 minutes and you are not entitled to have the break paid.

dorsetlady

http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Employment/Employees/WorkingHoursAndTimeOff/DG_10029451

I often work six hours with no break. I find it hard, as I am on my feet, but as the break time will be deducted from my pay I'd rather not bother!

heretolearn_2

The only legal entitlement is for a 20 minute break if you work more than 6 hours. This should be taken at a sensible time during those hours and not at the start or finish of the work time, so lunchtime. Half an hour is a bit on the short side for offices, most give 45 minutes or an hour, but it meets the regulations. There is no entitlement to any further breaks or 'coffee breaks' and that's just something that was happening at your workplace - I've never worked anywhere that gave you more than just a lunch break.

Whether they can just change the rules like that without warning/consultation is another issue.

On VDU use, there is a H&S regulation about this. You are supposed to take regular breaks from them. Several short breaks of say 5 minutes per hour are better than a single longer break. However, 'break' in this case doesn't mean a stop work altogether break, it means a change from using the VDU, so you should switch to doing paperwork, filing, handwritten work, meetings, etc instead for a few minutes regularly.

dorsetlady

I occasionally take a 15 minute break on a six hour shift but it depends what time they want me to go - sometimes it's less than two hours into the six - I then don't bother. I just sneak off and have a cereal bar, and cup of water, on the crafty! My son is lucky as when he does a four hour shift he gets a 15 minute PAID teabreak and on a full day TWO paid treabreaks!

dark_lady

Someone once said to me, "If you have a half hour lunch break you are in a job. If you have an hour lunch break you are in a career.

Wyndham

dark_lady wrote: »

Someone once said to me, "If you have a half hour lunch break you are in a job. If you have an hour lunch break you are in a career.

I like this, but sometimes a career means you don't get a lunchbreak at all

LadyMissA

heretolearn wrote: »

On VDU use, there is a H&S regulation about this. You are supposed to take regular breaks from them. Several short breaks of say 5 minutes per hour are better than a single longer break. However, 'break' in this case doesn't mean a stop work altogether break, it means a change from using the VDU, so you should switch to doing paperwork, filing, handwritten work, meetings, etc instead for a few minutes regularly.

this is only probably in the public sector as we at my last job would key in stuff all day long

SarEl

dark_lady wrote: »

Someone once said to me, "If you have a half hour lunch break you are in a job. If you have an hour lunch break you are in a career.

I have a career, but what is a lunch break?

LadyMissA

dark_lady wrote: »

Someone once said to me, "If you have a half hour lunch break you are in a job. If you have an hour lunch break you are in a career.

surely thats the other way round?