Do you get paid for your lunch hour?

[girlcrushonvillanelle]

I run a small business and up until now have only employed people on a part time basis, so short days.

I now have a more full time position available.

It will only be 4 days (so technically still part time) but 4 full days 9AM until 5PM.

The question is do I pay for the lunch break? They will be working out and about if that makes a difference.

Please bear in mind that I am a small business who employs 4 people through these difficult times so I don't want to pay out unnecessarily.

Yes as I work in supported social care and my lunch time is with a client , not really down time but it's fine for me as I like my client

I should have explained better , my time with my client is us both eating lunch together

No, never have in 25 years. If you are salaried generally your contract is worded as eg 9-5.30 which includes a hour for lunch. If you are paid hourly then it's £x per hour, you must take a minimum of x minutes lunch break (whatever the legal minimum is) if they have flexi start and finish times

30 min paid

Reality I eat while replying to emails (on occasion pop out)

Unpaid x

OP are you paying an hourly rate, or a salary? If you're paying a salary then it's not really a question TBH. You're paying a salary of x, the hours are 9-5 and you get an hour for lunch. For every job I've had, I never particularly considered my lunch break to be paid or unpaid, it's just part of my day if you see what I mean.

I'm really shocked by the number of people claiming half an hour is standard, though. Every proper office job gives an hour for lunch (even if people are too busy to take it). I've only ever been offered one job where there was half an hour for lunch, and the employer turned out to be a dud one, funnily enough.

Half hour is minimum for us - working time directive says you must have at least 20 minutes break if you work 6 hours or more, and it must not be tagged on o the beginning or end of the day.

30mins unpaid. Isn't that standard?
No. In over 35 years working all my jobs have been inclusive hours, taking a break when we can and still get paid.

If you're salaried I think you are anyway. Never thought about it.

All my jobs have been unpaid, either an hour at a fixed time or flexible (either completely flexible or minimum 30 mins within the 12-2 window).

I get half an hour unpaid and 15 minutes unpaid morning break too.
I work as a hlta for the LEA, employed ft in school.

I work part time but if i were to work a full 8 hour day at my company i would get 3 paid half hour breaks sometimes more. NMW type job.

Thank you

The work involves going from place to place and being in each place for between 1-2 hours and moving onto the next one. There can be up to 30 mins driving between each one.

I don't expect my staff not to take a lunch break but it is unlikely for them to stop for a full hour as the driving often feels like a break.

I do pay by the hour but only on the basis that I need to work out their salary. Their hours are fixed.