Working more hours than I'm being paid for

rachel90

Basically as it says in the title. I'm currently working as a temp in a reception role. My hours are stated to be 37.5 per week working 8.30am - 5pm. Due to the role, it is extremely difficult to be out of the office for anywhere near an hour due to safety of other colleagues and there physically being nowhere to go which means I am working 2.5 hours per week that I am not being paid for. This doesn't sound like much but it soon adds up! As far as I have always been told, you must take at least 30mins if you are working a full day. Whether you take it or not, you have to claim this which is fine but an hour each day when in reality I walk next door to grab a sandwich and I'm back at my desk, working within 10minutes.
There is also the odd day or 2 each week where I have to stay late due to circumstances beyond our control. This is never claimed but management are aware.
I have emailed my line manager regarding this matter to see if we are able to build TOIL but she has ignored it.

What should I do? Am I just being pathetic?

Thanks

Daedalus

Your post isn't really making any sense to me.

You aren't being paid for your lunch break? This is standard practice.

phill99

Just because the is no where to o doesn't mean you have to be paid for our lunch hour.

AP007

You do not have to leave the office to have a lunch break and this should be taken at all times if you are not being paid.

Are you being paid via an agency or the company?

rachel90

AP007 wrote: »

You do not have to leave the office to have a lunch break and this should be taken at all times if you are not being paid.

Are you being paid via an agency or the company?

I'm being paid via an agency.
I understand that I don't need to leave the office for a break but there is no where in the building I can go as it is relatively small and all the rooms are in constant use. If I sit in my office, I have to answer the phone and people assume I'm working so give me things to do as usual.

Daedalus - I know that you don't get paid for a lunch break but I don't physically get time away from my desk for longer than 10minutes but I'm having to put on my timesheet that I take an hours lunch.

London50

Many people are in the same boat as you. My other half is contracted 37.5 hours per week {with an unusual type of "shift pattern"} when she is on an "early start" {8.30 am} she leaves home at 7.15 to get to work "on time" and if her following days "shift" is the 1.00 PM start she has no choicebut to get her part of the job up to date before she leaves work and that can {and does} mean that she is at work one or sometimes two hours extra without getting paid or time off to compensate. Although she is not happy with the situation she exceps it as {like you} she has two choices either put up with it or try {in this financial climate} look for another job.
We all would like a straight 37/40 hour week but IMO those days are long gone, just be happy that unlike many you have a job or take the other route and look for another job with hours that suit you in 2013

j.e.j.

As far as I know you must take a lunch break. Some colleagues of mine used to prefer to work thru and leave early but the manager told them they weren't allowed to do this (health & safety, I think)
Is there absolutely nowhere you can go for half an hour to an hour, just to sit and read or something?

~Beanie~

There is nowhere for me to go for lunch either. I usually take about 10 mins to go to the shop and then sit at my desk for the other 50 mins, eating my lunch and reading a book or magazine. I don't do any work though, I make sure people know I am on lunch and ignore the phone. Afterall, if I wasn't there I wouldn't be able to answer it, would I?

AP007

rachel90 wrote: »

I'm being paid via an agency.
I understand that I don't need to leave the office for a break but there is no where in the building I can go as it is relatively small and all the rooms are in constant use. If I sit in my office, I have to answer the phone and people assume I'm working so give me things to do as usual.

Daedalus - I know that you don't get paid for a lunch break but I don't physically get time away from my desk for longer than 10minutes but I'm having to put on my timesheet that I take an hours lunch.

No you just tell people you are at lunch end of.

I sat like everyone at my desk and had lunch and we never answered the phone if we were at lunch, someone who wasnt did and emailed us a mssg or whatever.

Tell the agency you are not getting a break.

hcb42

do you drive in? Can you sit in the car and read if so?

It is annoying, but we all have to do it, my boss's expectation is we all do 10 hours a week over our 40 before he would even be alarmed, and we dont take lunch either, even though we should be taking 30 minutes, meaning it is 52.5 hr week for a 40 hour paid.

ohreally

rachel90 wrote: »

What should I do?

Learn to become more assertive.

If all else fails, go for a walk.