Lunch Hour

[Padiham Lass]

A couple of years ago, when I couldn't find a permanent job, that I wanted, I signed up with various employment agencies and became a temp.

During this period (about 2 years) I worked for several different companies and experienced a selection of terms and conditions.

In my earlier employment, I had been fortunate to work flexible hours, therefore, if I needed a 2 hour lunch, I could make up the time by getting in earlier, or staying later. Also, if the weather was bad and I had nowhere to go, I could take 30mins and save the time for another day.

I personally feel that in order to have a proper break ie time to buy lunch, eat it and digest it and possibly read a magazine or run errands, that the minimum lunch time should be one hour. I know from my experience of temping that this is not offered by many employers, what is your experience and are you happy with your present limits?

[MargaretR]

When I retired from the civil service 15 years ago, the rules were that you had to take a break of 30 minutes minimum at lunchtime.
I don't know whether that still applies now.

[lancsdave]

The lack of flexi time in companies is where this country still has victorian working conditions.

I have to take a one hour lunch time, I want half an hour and leave work half an hour earlier to catch an earlier train but they insist on old fashioned methods. strange how the companies who who don't want to be flexible always expect you to be flexible if something goes wrong and they expect you to stay on after the normal finish time.

[MissTechnophobe]

My OH who is an electrician only gets half an hour but he's used to it so it doesn't really bother him!

When I used to temp I made sure I always got my hour lunch break, but when I became an Office Manager I was lucky to get 5 mins!

[lettie]

My official break is 30 minutes but I am lucky to get that long, especially on night shifts when there is nobody to relieve me.

The one thing that does bug me is the 'working lunch'.

This has been adopted by lots of companies and public services (including the NHS).

In my job, I am not paid for lunch break, so the 'working lunch' means that you are doing work, for which you are not getting paid. I now refuse to attend working lunches, in my book, I am either working and getting paid for it or I am on my lunch and not getting paid.. I do quite a lot of unpaid time during the week, going in on days off for various meetings, assessments etc. I'll be damned if they are going to try and take my lunch break too..

[pipinfort]

Think yourselves lucky, 20 mins for me.........(officially of course)

[accyman]

all my jobs when i was younger were 1 hour dinner breaks but these days most are 30 mins which seems to occur more in bigger companies than smaller ones

one company that i worked for would not let you leave your bench until the buzzer went for lunch but you had to be back at your bench 5 mins before the buzzer went off for you to come back , the job was messy and the factory was huge so when the buzzer went at say 12.00 you had to walk to the toilets to wash your hands then walk all the way back to the exit and it could be as late as 12.10 before you got to the oustide of the building due to ques for washing etc . this left only 15 mins to get your butty from the butty van , eat it ,smoke a ciggy and get back to your bench for 12.25

if you complained you got told that if you dont like it you know where the gate is

they were correct i did know where the gate was and i used it

[jaysay]

When I was working lunch break didn't come into it, working on the road, catch a snack when possible, you just worked meals in to your work load. More often than not we would call at Transport cafe and have a full breakfast, which really set you up for the day

[cashman]

20 mins officially i had fer 23 years, suited me.

[entwisi]

I work flexi

I have to take a min of 30 mins but could take from 11:30 - 2:30 if I wanted. I have to fit 35 hours in and must be available for meetings between 10am - 11:30 and 2:30 - 4, other than that its up to me

I usually start work at 7-7:15, take 30 mins lunch, finish at 4 but I work a 9 day fortnight so do my 70 hours over 9 days instead of 10 meaning I get a non working day every other week to look after Siobhan/do jobs/relax/etc

Sounds good to me!

[Padiham Lass]

Originally Posted by accyman

if you complained you got told that if you dont like it you know where the gate is

they were correct i did know where the gate was and i used it

Well done!

Unfortunately, too many employers get away with bad practices because workers are in fear of losing their jobs, however bad they are.

[derekgas]

We start from 7.30am (most come in between 8 and 8.30, except me), and book work for morning or afternoon, work is allocated accordingly, the ones who come in early are able to have an early lunch, if they have no lunch, they finish the day early, so long as the work is done, is up to them!

[lancsdave]

Originally Posted by derekgas

We start from 7.30am (most come in between 8 and 8.30, except me), and book work for morning or afternoon, work is allocated accordingly, the ones who come in early are able to have an early lunch, if they have no lunch, they finish the day early, so long as the work is done, is up to them!

Which is how it should be in most businesses. Do you need any IT staff ?

[entwisi]

geesh, you know IT covers a multitude of sins

Come on, whats your skillset? We are recruiting at my place.

[accyman]

Originally Posted by entwisi

geesh, you know IT covers a multitude of sins

Come on, whats your skillset? We are recruiting at my place.

he can type qwerty realy fast