Lunch break during work

Lancimus

Hi,

Am wondering if anybody can assist me on something.
Recently I have started to take a lunch break - something I didn't used to do. Now I am my boss is insisting I go at 1 till 2.
They have also stopped a colleague of mine (from a different department) from going at the same time saying they have to go at 11.30 till 12.30.

As there is no mention of having set lunch breaks in my contract where do I stand? I used to take lunch about 1.30 till 2.30 and there is no shortage on staff during this time and would like to be able to get back to this.


Regards
L

bap98189

I assume that this lunchbreak is unpaid. If so then there must be some mention of it in your contract, probably under the section dealing with hours of work.

However, your employer can tell you when to take your lunchbreak. They can also tell different staff to take lunch at different times. This is perfectly normal practice in most workplaces.

stuckdebt

All I will say is, you go for your break when they tell you to. Youre lucky that you get an hour. In my work, I have to wait until my manager sends me for a break, this couple be up to 6 hours into my shift. and then it is only a 20 min break.

Tiddlywinks

Lunchtimes for a lot of businesses are a busy traffic time... that is why they insist that staff stagger their breaks.

Otherwise, what is to stop eveyone one day deciding to go at 12.30?

PudseyDB

Its only half an hour earlier....does it really make that much difference to you?

Most people I know only get half an hour.

patator

I know a lot of places prefer employees to be back from lunch by 2pm - I'd be really surprised if I was told I could come back at 2.30 (surprised and pleased, as it would make the afternoon very seem very short). In my experience (no idea on legalities!) employers can tell you what time you can go on lunch. As someone else said, if they didn't have some control over it everybody would end up hopping off to the pub at the same time and there'd be tumbleweeds blowing through.

skintandscared_2

It is standard for lunchbreaks to be finished by 2pm. Depending on the line of business, it's likely that calls will start to increase again after 2pm, and colleagues are more likely to expect to see you at your desk. I get really irritated by people who take late lunches, sit at their desk while it's quiet (because clients/other firms are all at lunch) then disappear for an hour when the phones start all ringing at once.

AP007

patator wrote: »

I know a lot of places prefer employees to be back from lunch by 2pm - I'd be really surprised if I was told I could come back at 2.30 (surprised and pleased, as it would make the afternoon very seem very short). In my experience (no idea on legalities!) employers can tell you what time you can go on lunch. As someone else said, if they didn't have some control over it everybody would end up hopping off to the pub at the same time and there'd be tumbleweeds blowing through.

I believe you have to be at work for 3 hours before you can be made to go to lunch as the break should not be at the begining or end of the working day but still they can say when you are to go.

So example if you start at 9am they cant say you have to go at 11am but they can say you will take your break at 12.

Evilm

It depends when you start but I can't find anything that says when it has to be beyond that. All I can find is that you are entitled to 20 minutes if you are doing over 6hrs in a row and it shouldn't be taken by starting late or leaving early.

I've personally always been told that the break cannot be in the last working hour of your day or taken at the end of your shift (so going home an hour early). I also believe that the hour at the beginning is not allowed either but that never came up.

I know when I did supermarket work they did the hour from start or finish rule and tried to be as fair as they could and break up peoples shifts evenly if possible.

Gov UK also only says its in the 'middle' of the day. https://www.gov.uk/rest-breaks-work/rules-for-taking-breaks

paddedjohn

AP007 wrote: »

I believe you have to be at work for 3 hours before you can be made to go to lunch as the break should not be at the begining or end of the working day but still they can say when you are to go.

So example if you start at 9am they cant say you have to go at 11am but they can say you will take your break at 12.

You are entitled to a 20 min break if you work more than 6 hrs, this can be taken somewhere in the middle of the shift but not at the beginning or the end so 11pm would be ok, 9.15am or 2.30pm would not.;)

AP007

paddedjohn wrote: »

You are entitled to a 20 min break if you work more than 6 hrs, this can be taken somewhere in the middle of the shift but not at the beginning or the end so 11pm would be ok, 9.15am or 2.30pm would not.;)

Why would 2.30pm not be ok? What if you dont finish work till 6pm?

I am sure the OP gets 1 hour so we are not even talking about 20 mins here