To take time off for lunch today despite leaving early?

[tryingmyworst]

I have a maternity appointment at 2 today, so need to leave for 1pm to get there on time (and that’ll be stretching it).

Just wondering if I was being unreasonable to take my half hour lunch break before this? I can’t find anything online to say if I can do this or not.

I wouldn’t bother at all but I have horrendous sickness still in the second trimester and feel much better after some food. I don’t have time to go shops this morning for something at my desk so it’ll be staff cafe.

AIBU?

[TheHomelands2020]

You're at work, leaving at 1, already on Mumsnet?? Plus you want to take a lunch break. Glad you don't work for me .

[movingonup20]

Taking the mickey. I would eat en route

[user1471457751]

You're only legally entitled to a break if you work over 6 hours and you may not be contractually entitled either on a short working day. I don't know why others are saying it's your legal right to take the break

[tryingmyworst]

To make matters worse my manager only discovered I had an appointment at about 4pm yesterday. I got in and a letter was waiting for me, appointment today

I can’t rearrange and not go. It’s about close monitoring because I am high risk for very premature birth so can’t risk not monitoring this pregnancy properly

[Crappyfridays7]

Not everyone can eat at their desk. I absolutely would eat before you leave. It’s not taking the mick either you’re allowed time off for maternity appointments and I’d have felt terrible going to one at that time without food, and my work would’ve made sure I went for lunch first so I could get away for one to get to the appointment.

[Brefugee]

TBH i think it's stretching it a bit. Why are you cutting it fine with your travelling time, though? Leave 30 minutes earlier for your appointment.

Personally: I'd have a sandwich or soup or whatever at my desk and leave at 12:30

[IliveonCoffee]

What time are you starting? If you start at 8 or 9, you're only at work for 4/5 hours. If this was a regular half day, would you still take your lunch?

I appreciate you are entitled to time off for maternity and from a holiday allowance perspective it's probably not counted. But essentially you're taking a half day, and I think it would be reasonable to expect you'd organise your pre/post work time accordingly to be able to get some food.

Obviously what's done is done, can you either pop to the canteen on a coffee break, or I'd excuse myself and ask to leave 10 mins early to pick up something. I'd feel incredibly guilty swanning in for 3.5 - 4.5 hours and still taking lunch as if I wasn't leaving at 13.00, regardless of the reason for leaving.

[Gwenhwyfar]

"Doesn't show much dedication for the job "

Why does everyone have to be dedicated to their job? Why can't we just do our jobs?

[TreestumpsAndTrampolines]

Yes, go and get your lunch. In the grand scheme of things, that extra half hour makes damn all difference.

I employ people, and I would prefer that they care for themselves and stay healthy rather than wring every last 10 minutes out of them!

In return, when I need an extra half hour's work from them at some other point, they are generally happy to do it if they can - give and take.

[Gwenhwyfar]

@user1471457751

You're only legally entitled to a break if you work over 6 hours and you may not be contractually entitled either on a short working day. I don't know why others are saying it's your legal right to take the break

I'm not sure that's always true. My lunch break is in my contract.

[Brighterthansunflowers]

YABU

You’re only going to be working for about 4 hours! 1pm is a reasonable time to take a lunch break so I think it’s taking the piss to have lunch then finish at 1.

[AaronPurr]

Another one wondering what time you start. It's 9am you're still posting on MN. If you're leaving at 1pm then it seems a bit off to have a 30 minute lunchbreak in that time.

[SquirtleSquad]

I'd be more annoyed that you're sat on mumsnet at work than wanting to have a quick lunch.

[ArabellaScott]

Take a break. I'm an employer, I hate it when staff don't look after their health. You could offer to make up the time another time, if it's worrying you.

[Nottherealslimshady]

Well surely there is somewhere close to your work to get food otherwise you wouldn't be able to get lunch. So get lunch from the place near your work and go to your appointment.
They're only legally required to give you 20 minutes unpaid break when you work 6hrs or more. They're being generous. If you take the piss taking "what you're entitled to" they'll start giving you what you're entitled to.
If you're only working 4 hrs you dont need one of those hours to be a break, right piss take.

[dontdisturbmenow]

Indeed, what are your hours? Because unless you finish work at 3pm, surely your be expected to come back to work after your appointment. It sounds as if you're expecting to be off for the day.

So either you work very short days in which case you are taking the piss not to wait until 1pm to grab something, or you do normal hours and think you should be able to leave early, not come back AND take 1/2h lunch which...well...is seriously taking the piss.

[RedskyAtnight]

If 1 hour is pushing it, then taking 1.5 hours to make sure you're not late seems reasonable.
However, if you know you have bad sickness that gets better when you eat "something proper" I'm not sure why you don't have something in all the time?

[KatieGGGG]

Your manager’s perspective of if it’s a piss take will be based on how you are as an employee generally not just today.

Why not approach them and let them know you’re not taking your lunch break as you’re only working four hours, however you are going to grab something to eat.

I would have bought or made a lunch last night though.

[SleepingStandingUp]

I'd log out at 12.30 so you're setting off early and grab food en route. However what are you going to do for the next four hours and why doesn't you have breakfast? If you go at say 12 will you need the full hour to get food and eat it? I think an hour would be cheeky

[emilyfrost]

YANBU. You’re entitled to a lunch break as well as time off for maternity appointments, and as a pregnant woman it’s important to prioritise both.

You wouldn’t be “taking the piss” by doing so.

[christinarossetti19]

You are entitled to a lunch break and to time off for maternity appointments.

It's not a 'piss take' to avail yourself of your legal entitlement.

I hate these competitive over-working threads. Workers fought long and hard to be entitled to lunch breaks. Women fought long and hard to be entitled to take time off for health care when pregnant.

Don't piss these hard won rights up the wall fgs.

[andtheHossyourodeinon]

You're posting in AIBU so going to get a lot of people who haven't been pregnant commenting saying you are taking the piss

#My guess would be that pretty much everyone saying that has been pregnant.

[KatieGGGG]

@christinarossetti19 you’re entitled to 20 minute break per 6 hours of work. Assuming OP started at 9am that’s not 6 hours.

[JillofTrades]

Whatever you were going to eat just eat it on the way. I also think it's a bit annoying if you took your lunch and then left straight away, earlier at that.

[Dillo10]

How long have you been in your role at this company? Can you really not judge whether this would be acceptable or not on your own? Don't mean this in a rude way, just struggling to understand why you can't decide this for yourself?