Some guidance on Working Hours please

[Speicher]

I know I could try and goggle this, but lots of people on here work long shifts, irregular hours etc, so I am sure some one can tell me.

You work 8 hours a day, usually 8.30 to 4.30 pm.
and take 30 mins for lunch at approx 12 noon.

One evening a week you might be asked to work until 7.30 pm. Are you permitted to take a Paid break in the afternoon, as your working hours after lunch are now seven hours?

Thank you

 

[col]

Where i work,if you work six hours straight you have to have a 20 minute break,if you dont and there is an accident,the employer is liable i think?This in a non paid break.
If i work from half seven in the morning till half two we have twenty minutes break,which we have to have,but we have to pay it back by staying till ten to three.

 

[oxbob]

http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Employment/Employees/WorkingHoursAndTimeOff/DG_10029451 should find the info here speicher

 

[Speicher]

Thank you for that link Oxbob. I thought that you would get a paid short break if you were working more than five hours. Your link seems to indicate this is not the case.

 

[oxbob]

Yes, it's basically at the discretion of the employer, either way you are entitled to a break paid or not

 

[NickM]

If i work from half seven in the morning till half two we have twenty minutes break,which we have to have,but we have to pay it back by staying till ten to three.

Bastards!! I hope you make bloody sure you don't do any work in those last twenty minutes...

 

[col]

Bastards!! I hope you make bloody sure you don't do any work in those last twenty minutes...

We are normally all done by then and the next shift came on at quarter to one till half nine with a half hour break they pay back too,so we have two shifts overlapping and twiddling thier thumbs unless its busy,but it does annoy a little sometimes,especially when its down to management discretion,we are the only one or two that do this out of all the other places in the building.

 

[Speicher]

So under the circumstances of my OP, someone may not be entitled to a paid break.

BUT, those who smoke, they remove themselves from their place of work and stand outside for five minutes, perhaps, four times a day. This equates to 4 times 5 times 5 equals umm .... say one and a half hours (at least) per week. One non-smoker in wishes to take an extra short break once a week, I am puzzled why this break should be unpaid, bearing in mind the longer hours. Is this at Management's discretion?

 

[beanzontoast]

Where I work, there is a culture of just not having breaks. People eat lunch at their desks and carry on working while they are eating. Mostly, they do not have a lunch break as such. It's the first place I've ever met that is like this.

 

[col]

If you smoke,which i do,we wait till our official break to go outside ,there are no other unofficial ones for people who smoke,and yes unless its in the contract its up to managements discretion.

 

[Sittingduck]

AT my place smokers regularly go out (perhaps a 5-10 min fag break) every hour or certainly every 90 mins. Personally I think this takes the biscuit a little. Having said that they probably don't take an official hour for lunch. I probably don't either but I am a non-smoker. Just the way life goes I think but it really depends on the type of work you are doing. In my previous life I was a croupier and we had 20 min break religiously every 80 mins. Office jobs seldom have such regular breaks!

 

[fossyant]

Bet you don't get paid for the extra hours - you won't get the extra long lunch break either. See what your contract says - if 37 - 40 hours then it will say. Is this 'staying late' in your contract....

It's a tricky one - I've done too many hours for employers over the last 8 years when on 37/40 hour weeks..my arse.... add at least 10 hours unpaid onto it.... hence I don't work for them now..... I work my hours at a new employer..... sometimes work through, sometimes start early, but fortunately, they are reasonable.....