Not allowed to leave the building on a break?

dm827430

hcb42 wrote: »

seems fair.

We give 30 minutes to all staff over 6 hours, and nothing to those who work less (although the smokers seem to have 20 x 5 minute breaks a day..............)

yeah but non smokers dont spend 15 minutes every hour, getting a coffee, checking their facebook, talking on the phone to their spouse, kids etc etc!
any smoker will tell you, 5 minutes outside in the "bus shelter", will yield far much more company info than 8 hours in an office.

AP007

Miss_Havisham wrote: »

My manager used to say that we weren't allowed to leave the building during "paid time" because the company could be held liable if you had an accident. No idea how true it is ??

Yes if you are still being paid you are on workd time like if you have to take money to the bank you are on works time so outside the usual place of work you have to be insured and if you pop to the sandwich shop on your lunch break which is probably unpaid and fall over and break a leg that's your fault but if you fell over on the way to the bank on works time then you are not etc if you get me.

burnoutbabe

you are entitled to a break away from your workstation. But that does not mean you are legally allowed to leave the building. Plenty of jobs where you must stay on the premises - say shop work where you can only leave after beings searched. Or where you are in a clean or secure environment etc.

So is there somewhere you can go to be away from your desk? Thats all they need to provide.

(and thats for unpaid breaks, paid breaks they can enforce any rules that want within reason)

hcb42

dm827430 wrote: »

yeah but non smokers dont spend 15 minutes every hour, getting a coffee, checking their facebook, talking on the phone to their spouse, kids etc etc!
any smoker will tell you, 5 minutes outside in the "bus shelter", will yield far much more company info than 8 hours in an office.

you are right, non smokers don't, the smokers that take the most breaks in my office are definitely the same ones on the phone, making a brew and on facebook...