Threatened with unauthorised absence at work for taking break at end of shift

Jdjdjdjd

Lots of people do it, I came to work, worked non stop, finished what I was doing and because I hadn't taken a break, I left half an hour before my shift was scheduled to end.
Nobody told me when to take a break throughout the shift and I worked the entire time.
They are now calling it unauthorised absence and it sounds pretty serious.
Anything I can do?

ohreally

The legislation concerning breaks specifically states that breaks should not be taken at the beginning or end of the shift.

I'd suggest you start apologising and join a union.

sangie595

I agree. I assume that just because nobody told you to take a break, that doesn't mean you were incapable of asking when to take your break? Breaks are like holidays - you use them or you lose them. You are legally entitled to a break, but you can't be forced to take one. And it isn't really the employers responsibility to follow you around checking you took the break. You should have taken the break or asked to take the break. So you were absent from work with authorisation.

I assume that you are fairly new at the job? If so, profuse apologies and you didn't realise this wouldn't be ok might get you off the hook for this time.

TBagpuss

I agree. Apologise, explain the cirumstnaces and thsat you had not appreciated that you could not take your break in this way, and confirm that you won't do so in future.

Was there any reason ou hadn't takn the break? In future, if you find yourself in a simailr situation you'd be well advised to ask your supervisor whether you can leave a little early as you missed your break. They might say no, but if they agree then at least it is not unauthorised!

DCFC79

Whether lots of people do it is irrelevant, you focus on doing things by the book. You really should have asked when it was suitable to take your break.

Lesson learned. Apologise profusely, admit you made a mistake.

xapprenticex

We do this sometimes..... WITH PERMISSION.

You cant just leave early, what if they needed you for something 20 mins before end of shift?

ACG

I used to do this when I worked for a bank, I would save up my breaks so that I could just basically start getting ready so I could leave dead on time - nothing worse than when you got a call 2 minutes before finishing meaning I had to work late. However, the difference here is that I stayed in the office.

Apologise, plead ignorance and promise not to do it again. If they go beyond a warning I would be surprised.

t0rt0ise

And please don't say "everyone does it". Take the hit yourself and don't involve others.

PasturesNew

As a rule of thumb:

A break is a break (I presume you mean a lunch break as you speak of 30 minutes).

There are rules for taking breaks - rules that can be used to prosecute a bad employer.

Working through lunch is commonly done by people who are too busy to stop - but that doesn't mean they can leave half an hour early. That time is 'gifted' to the employer, unpaid overtime so to speak. Most do it for fear of losing their jobs.

A few people might be able to negotiate working through lunch and leaving early, maybe occasionally for a special reason, or maybe right from day one by agreement. But, it's rare.

Imagine if everybody worked through lunch and farqued off half an hour early!