Early lunch

[Matt123]

I'm PT and we have been told as from last week we have to take our breaks in the DO staff room at 9.20 to 9.40 I start Work at 9.00
So i come in load up my trolly and then take lunch ...I had my breakfast at 8.00
I need my break about 11.30 to 12.00
Is this right can they force me to take meal break 20 mins after I start work?

[JKSmudge]

We've been told to take half our break before going out and half during the round.... A break in the first half hour is ridiculous.

[k979aaa]

We've been told to take half our break before going out and half during the round.... A break in the first half hour is ridiculous.

Way forward agreement says in the middle of duty but that was before the wholesale obliteration of full time duties for part time duties and all that it entails by the way if you have your meal relief at the start of your duty you may well find you will need to return to the office for use of the toilet as we all cannot live around royal mail and it's systems of work!

[Tomolo208]

It makes literally no difference when you take your break. Take it when you want it and you'll still finish at the same time. If they force the issue, say that you'll be making sure to take the break at Xmas and cut off.

[lightningpostman]

I'm PT and we have been told as from last week we have to take our breaks in the DO staff room at 9.20 to 9.40 I start Work at 9.00
So i come in load up my trolly and then take lunch ...I had my breakfast at 8.00
I need my break about 11.30 to 12.00
Is this right can they force me to take meal break 20 mins after I start work?

group together with all the other parttimers and go to union guy, and state if they would like you to take your break in the office you dont mind but it will be half way through your shift, so you will be driving back/walking back to take 20mins at say 12 in the office then walking/drive back to resume your delivery.

stick with all your workmates and fight this with the help of the union rep.

[Navalron]

It makes literally no difference when you take your break. Take it when you want it and you'll still finish at the same time. If they force the issue, say that you'll be making sure to take the break at Xmas and cut off.

You should be taking your m/r whatever time of year it happens to be.....

[Creditshampoo]

It makes literally no difference when you take your break. Take it when you want it and you'll still finish at the same time. If they force the issue, say that you'll be making sure to take the break at Xmas and cut off.

to us no, but to management who think people will knuckle down instead of bringing mail back

[Postie45]

Is this right can they force me to take meal break 20 mins after I start work?

no, the law specifically says break should be in the middle of the day and not at start or end of day. Whilst "middle of the day" is slightly open to interpretation its safe to say 20 mins in is NOT it.

[azza30]

from gov.uk
Employers can say when employees take rest breaks during work time as long as:

the break is taken in one go somewhere in the middle of the day (not at the beginning or end)
workers are allowed to spend it away from their desk or workstation (ie away from where they actually work)
It doesn’t count as a rest break if an employer says an employee should go back to work before their break is finished.

[twoloops]

Can't believe your still in the D.O office @ 9.40 if your not out before 9 in our office you'll have no chance of finishing, must be some soft walks out there?

[azza30]

It makes literally no difference when you take your break. Take it when you want it and you'll still finish at the same time. If they force the issue, say that you'll be making sure to take the break at Xmas and cut off.

Managers will rob you of that extra 10 minutes someone PT 5hours is entitled to because they hope (know most) you won't take it on delivery.

But physically your break in the middle of the day will actually allow you to work more efficiently towards the end of the walk and keep you healthier - OH info to support this. RM are so dumb.

[postslippete]

There are some soft walks out there - there are rural walks in our office that even if you go out after 10am, you can still finish before your time. How that works in balancing workloads I don't really know

[ripio]

from gov.uk
Employers can say when employees take rest breaks during work time as long as:

the break is taken in one go somewhere in the middle of the day (not at the beginning or end)
workers are allowed to spend it away from their desk or workstation (ie away from where they actually work)
It doesn’t count as a rest break if an employer says an employee should go back to work before their break is finished.

Yes but that applies to a legally entitled break.
I think the get out would be that part timers generally work less than a six hour day, therefore are not actually legally entitled to any break under the working time regulations.
Some part timers do work a six hour day of course and in that instance the regulations apply, so it is a breach of them to enforce a break within the first hour of the working day.

[azza30]

from gov.uk
Employers can say when employees take rest breaks during work time as long as:

the break is taken in one go somewhere in the middle of the day (not at the beginning or end)
workers are allowed to spend it away from their desk or workstation (ie away from where they actually work)
It doesn’t count as a rest break if an employer says an employee should go back to work before their break is finished.

Yes but that applies to a legally entitled break.
I think the get out would be that part timers generally work less than a six hour day, therefore are not actually legally entitled to any break under the working time regulations.
Some part timers do work a six hour day of course and in that instance the regulations apply, so it is a breach of them to enforce a break within the first hour of the working day.

The new 2018 union PT welcome pack http://www.cwu.org/wp-content/uploads/2 ... et_P4P.pdf" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

30 mins up to 5 hours.

[ripio]

from gov.uk
Employers can say when employees take rest breaks during work time as long as:

the break is taken in one go somewhere in the middle of the day (not at the beginning or end)
workers are allowed to spend it away from their desk or workstation (ie away from where they actually work)
It doesn’t count as a rest break if an employer says an employee should go back to work before their break is finished.

Yes but that applies to a legally entitled break.
I think the get out would be that part timers generally work less than a six hour day, therefore are not actually legally entitled to any break under the working time regulations.
Some part timers do work a six hour day of course and in that instance the regulations apply, so it is a breach of them to enforce a break within the first hour of the working day.

The new 2018 union PT welcome pack http://www.cwu.org/wp-content/uploads/2 ... et_P4P.pdf" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

30 mins up to 5 hours.

Yes, that's the RM breaks agreed with the union, but it's not the legal entitlement.
RM are fairly generous with paid breaks beyond the legal entitlement.