Meal Relief...??

[slave]

I had a quick search on the forum but couldn't find the info I was after, hoping someone can clarify (with documents if possible, if I'm right in what I think)

A long time ago (SDD agreement??) we introduced 5 x 8hour days, with a 40min break / meal relief on each day, straightforward enough.

Now, in my office we introduced "longs and shorts" a year or so back, in theory (or at least in my mind) we should still get 40min per day, this is not the case though.


Mon-Fri; we get 40mins, 20mins a bit before we go out and 20mins at the end of the day.

Sat; (7hour day) we get 20mins at the end of the day and nothing else - are we being conned out of 20mins every time we work Saturdays or is there some stupid clause about hours worked/meal relief length that RM have used to con us??

[coxie]

nope you are entitled to take a 40 min on saturday too, we do at my office, its 40mins everyday. You can take 20-20 if you want but that is not compulsory and it is illegal if they force you to split your meal relief. If you like you can take a full 40mins each day, you dont have to split it 20-20

[hairyjack]

So when legally are you supposed to take your 40min break?

[coxie]

somewhere close to the middle of your shift, not at the beginning or not at the end, somwhere in the middle roughly.

[hairyjack]

Thanks for that coxie. I didn't know it was illegal to split 20/20, they (managers) threaten to make us do this frequently.

[dave7634]

http://www.direct.gov.uk says...

Rest breaks - a break during your working day

As an adult worker (over 18), you will normally have the right to a 20 minute rest break if you are expected to work more than six hours at a stretch.

A lunch or coffee break can count as your rest break. Additional breaks might be given by your contract of employment. There is no statutory right to 'smoking breaks'.

The requirements are:

* the break must be in one block
* it cannot be taken off one end of the working day - it must be somewhere in the middle
* you are allowed to spend it away from the place on your employer's premises where you work
* your employer can say when the break must be taken, as long as it meets these conditions

The Way Forward Agreement says:

Fill-time meal break entitlements

All full-time employees working in delivery offices on a 40-hour gross week over five or six days will generally have a standard entitlement to 40 minutes meal break per day and 30 minutes on the shorter day (normally Saturday) of a six day attendance, exclusive of any grace breaks (see below).

Less than 2 hours 30 minutes none (a 10 min grace break should be provided if work permits)
2 hours 30 to 3 hours 10 mins 10
3 hours 1 to 3 hours 30 15 mins 15
3 hours 31 to 4 hours 59 20 mins 20
5 hours to 7 hours 30 mins 30
7 hours 1 to 8 hours 59 40 mins 40 or 20 + 20
9 hours to 10 hours 59 50 mins 30 + 20
11 hours to 12 hours 59 60 mins 40 + 20 or 30 + 30
13 hours or longer 70 mins 40 + 30

[TrueBlueTerrier]

as confirmed here is a scan from the document

Meal Reliefs.jpg

[coxie]

Thanks for that coxie. I didn't know it was illegal to split 20/20, they (managers) threaten to make us do this frequently.

its not illegal because by law we are only entitled to 20mins but the agreement with royal mail is we get 40, so it can be split 20/20 but a manager cant force you to split it, if you want the full 40 in 1 hit then you can do, a split of 20/20 is your choice and not the managers choice. Must take 20mins atleast though in your duty time if you want to be covered for health and saftey incase of an accident.

Only 20mins can be taken off the finish time if agreed with your manager, not the full 40 because you have to have at least 20mins during your duty time near the middle and taking your full break at the end of your duty is against the law. Remember if you enjoy a nice 40min break that is your right within the company and dont let a manager put pressure on you for wanting to have your meal relief.

[Lincox]

If you are on a 7hour contract and you do 1 minute of overtime, are you then allowed to have a 40 minute break instead of a 30 minute break?

[baldrick]

If you are on a 7hour contract and you do 1 minute of overtime, are you then allowed to have a 40 minute break instead of a 30 minute break?

I don't think so. You would be entitled to the 30 min break for your 7 hour attendance.
But the OT would be a seperate attendance span, and if it is less than 2 hours and 30 minutes
it would not include any break.

[POSTMAN]

If you are on a 7hour contract and you do 1 minute of overtime, are you then allowed to have a 40 minute break instead of a 30 minute break?

I don't think so. You would be entitled to the 30 min break for your 7 hour attendance.
But the OT would be a seperate attendance span, and if it is less than 2 hours and 30 minutes
it would not include any break.

That couldn't be right tho could it as he could be working 9hr-29 with only 30mins break.

[mclovin]

NOT 1 postman in our office takes his/her break before then end of delivery, not a single person.

[baldrick]

Well if we work an 8 hour attendance we get the 40 min break.
If we work a 2 hour OT before or after we don't get any break on that.
If it was added up to a 10 hour attendance we should presumably get another 10 mins, but we don't.

[coxie]

NOT 1 postman in our office takes his/her break before then end of delivery, not a single person.

yeah cos they are in a rush to further kill the job

[fishtank]

"That couldn't be right tho could it as he could be working 9hr-29 with only 30mins break"

O/T is counted as a seperate attendance althouogh if he took his first break after 3 hours
he would be entitled to another break beacause you can't work more than 6 hrs without a break.