Employer changing break allowances 9 months down the line?

01megan

Hi there,

I am having a real nightmare with current employer. Manager sent a snotty email at 4.55pm yesterday that I was only entitled to one 15 minute break on 9-4pm and not two. It was just ended: ''apologies for any confusion but start tomorrow with x1 break''. She didn't inform me earlier when I emailed about something else. I've forwarded the message from the Service Manager confirming this not to be case (he confirmed it again in writing in August) to HR, Union Rep, Service Manager and my Manager. We amended my contract from 9-5pm to 9-4pm in March with full entitlement on breaks. It's a complete farce.  I know you are entitled to a 20 min break working over 6 hours. However, if it was agreed verbally/in writing that I had two breaks then surely they can't change the rules 9 months down the line? I have been on this pattern since March 2020 and joined in December 2019.

The other issue we have here is my contract is 30 hours and breaks/lunch are unpaid. It would appear they are trying to gain an extra 15 minutes unpaid work from me each day. On top of this, they are aware of a long term health condition since February. I have been back and forth with HR trying to arrange a meeting with Manager/Union Rep as I remain unsupported and Manager is very target focused. We've had issues with obtaining appointments etc. As for my targets, I have been doing fine on anything. However, I have noticed unfair advantage on work tasks being awarded to other colleagues. I raised this with HR who didn't make any comment, although there is explicit proof of me being denied easier tasks and given elsewhere i.e. an hour on admin tasks being reduced for myself but increased for others. 

Does anyone have any ideas? Thanks!

DCFC79

I cant help on your situation but have you considered another job, cant be a nice environment to be in. Id be careful with how you proceed, with only a years service they could just let you go, maybe this isn't a battle you will win.

01megan

Hey DCFC, thanks for this! Yes, it's unbelievable for the sector I work in. Anything but charitable.

Manager emailed just now to say if it had been approved with Service Manager then I should have x2 breaks and ''apologies for any confusion'' again. She has created issues with a medical appointment before so it's like she's doing it on purpose. From what I can see, she had no authority other than her own to ask me to work 15 minutes more.

General_Grant

01megan said:

Hi there,

I am having a real nightmare with current employer. Manager sent a snotty email at 4.55pm yesterday that I was only entitled to one 15 minute break on 9-4pm and not two. It was just ended: ''apologies for any confusion but start tomorrow with x1 break''. She didn't inform me earlier when I emailed about something else. I've forwarded the message from the Service Manager confirming this not to be case (he confirmed it again in writing in August) to HR, Union Rep, Service Manager and my Manager. We amended my contract from 9-5pm to 9-4pm in March with full entitlement on breaks. It's a complete farce.  I know you are entitled to a 20 min break working over 6 hours. However, if it was agreed verbally/in writing that I had two breaks then surely they can't change the rules 9 months down the line? I have been on this pattern since March 2020 and joined in December 2019.

The other issue we have here is my contract is 30 hours and breaks/lunch are unpaid. It would appear they are trying to gain an extra 15 minutes unpaid work from me each day. On top of this, they are aware of a long term health condition since February. I have been back and forth with HR trying to arrange a meeting with Manager/Union Rep as I remain unsupported and Manager is very target focused. We've had issues with obtaining appointments etc. As for my targets, I have been doing fine on anything. However, I have noticed unfair advantage on work tasks being awarded to other colleagues. I raised this with HR who didn't make any comment, although there is explicit proof of me being denied easier tasks and given elsewhere i.e. an hour on admin tasks being reduced for myself but increased for others. 

Does anyone have any ideas? Thanks!

She is wrong, as you know, to limit you to a 15-minute break.  It is a minimum 20-minute break for your shift length.

As breaks are unpaid, how would they get an extra 15 minutes unpaid work from you when they wouldn't have been paying for the second break any way.  Aren't they now going to have to pay you for the time you would otherwise have not been paid?

Xbigman

Sounds a bit like my employer. Some contracts contain an unpaid break plus a paid break whilst others don't have the paid break. There always seems to be some misunderstanding over who is entitled to what. 
Your contract is king. How many breaks are in you contract? That is the first question that needs answering. 


Darren

oh_really

If your line manager is being obstructive over a contractual issue then involve union to pick-up case, does this affect others, there may be a collective issue to address.

Again involve steward if there is a reluctance to deal with a health issue. Is this getting into disability concerns and have occupational health been involved?