Enforced meal breaks

[paranoid-android]

Can the business force you to take a 20 min meal break less than two hours after starting your duty?

[kirstyx]

in the 2 years ive been with the company they have tried twice, lat time even bgoing so far to say that we werent allowed to leave the office til we had taken 20 mins. suffice it say neither time it lasted long i prefer to take my break when pick up my bags as i have a hct round and its exactly halfway through my delivery. on our sign in sheets its got a slot to input how much of a break was taken before leaving the office but i dont know if its enforceable

[IcanthelpthewayIam]

Can the business force you to take a 20 min meal break less than two hours after starting your duty?

Legally yes

[NWpostie]

You SHOULD take your full entitled meal break, its there for a reason to have a rest before going out on delivery, if you cut that out Royal Mail will only load you with an extra 45 minutes of work with no break.

[Brainache]

Does a 10 minute `grace break` still exist ? or does it come out of your m/r. (I dont mean in legal terms -but in RM agreements).

[TrueBlueTerrier]

Does a 10 minute `grace break` still exist ? or does it come out of your m/r. (I dont mean in legal terms -but in RM agreements).

yes it still exists, but you can't plan it.

http://www.cwu.org/assets/_files/docume ... cument.pdf" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

grace break.PNG

[eldritch1987]

From http://www.gov.uk" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; -

2. Taking breaks

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.

Unless a worker’s employment contract says so, they don’t have the right to:

take smoking breaks
get paid for rest breaks

[daveyeff]

Can the business force you to take a 20 min meal break less than two hours after starting your duty?

my driver starts at 8.10 and has his break at 9.10 with the rest of us.

[Timelord]

It's madness having a break when you don't need one. I start at 7.15 and go out about 9 and I don't need half hour break, but half way through my HCT round I'm ready to stop for a while, so I now have just 15 mins before I go out, and 15 mins while i'm out when I'm ready. I cant see the harm and my manager don't mind.

[fishtank]

I cant see the harm and my manager don't mind.

You're not the problem, It's the dickheads that don't take any break that are the problem, That's why some offices enforce breaks before leaving the office, It's the only way they can make sure some members take a break at all.

[IcanthelpthewayIam]

It's madness having a break when you don't need one. I start at 7.15 and go out about 9 and I don't need half hour break, but half way through my HCT round I'm ready to stop for a while, so I now have just 15 mins before I go out, and 15 mins while i'm out when I'm ready. I cant see the harm and my manager don't mind.

Just so you are aware if your shift length is over 6 hours then one of the breaks should be 20 min long

[NewPostieUK]

Can the business force you to take a 20 min meal break less than two hours after starting your duty?

my driver starts at 8.10 and has his break at 9.10 with the rest of us.

I start at 9:30 and am meant to leave the office at 10:15 having finished prep, done redirections, packets, kill offs, pack bags, pack van and do van checks, and having had a 20 minute break!

[piranha]

I cant see the harm and my manager don't mind.

You're not the problem, It's the dickheads that don't take any break that are the problem, That's why some offices enforce breaks before leaving the office, It's the only way they can make sure some members take a break at all.

And those same diskheads are usually the ones who come in half an hour early and can't seem to grasp the concept they are ruining the job for everyone else.