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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To leave work early if I miss my lunch?

190 replies

leaveitnow1244 · 06/03/2023 20:15

Just that really - if I miss my lunch break am I entitled to leave early and not mention to anyone?

They leave it to us to take lunch breaks but a training course left me with just half hour to take lunch so I didn't bother and left early instead is this bad?

OP posts:
JustGotToKeepOnKeepingOn · 06/03/2023 22:26

You legally have to have a lunch break. You can't just decide to leave early because you decided not to have your lunch. You need to work the full day you are contracted to do.

Reminders50 · 06/03/2023 22:29

yes, exact same thread but from the boss’ point of view last week!

Onesipmore · 06/03/2023 22:30

This thread has made me laugh. There are so many people out there whose job is 9 to 5 with a lunch break in the middle. Sometimes those workers need to be a little bit flexible. A training course, whilst you are on probation and learning runs over, you still had time for lunch. To be honest if you are clock watching at this point in proceedings in this way, I'm not sure this is the job for you. You simply cannot the. swan off, particularly when advised not to do so! Whatever happened to a bit of work ethic !

OMGitsnotgood · 06/03/2023 22:31

Would be fine in my job and place of work. I doubt anyone would notice

Same here but not really relevant to the OP's situation

sunshineandshowers40 · 06/03/2023 22:38

I missed that you are still in your probation period, I wouldn't early until I was an established employee, at least one year.

Ceryneianhind · 06/03/2023 22:42

leaveitnow1244 · 06/03/2023 20:46

They told me not to do this and I'm in probation aswell

Then why the hell did you do it then?

Original poster
leaveitnow1244 · 06/03/2023 22:45

@Ceryneianhind no one was in the building

OP posts:
Jumanji89 · 06/03/2023 22:49

I take my lunch in the last hour occasionally where I need to get away but always make it clear in my calendar and out of courtesy let my boss know beforehand. It's never been an issue but in your circumstances I 100% wouldn't have left

Original poster
leaveitnow1244 · 06/03/2023 22:55

I guess it was just quiet noone was around and so figured it would be fine.

They've told me I should be 8 hours a day and today I did 7 but other staff work at home in my role sometimes. They've told me eight hours a day while I'm in probation

OP posts:
bhiffandcip · 06/03/2023 22:57

leaveitnow1244 · 06/03/2023 22:55

I guess it was just quiet noone was around and so figured it would be fine.

They've told me I should be 8 hours a day and today I did 7 but other staff work at home in my role sometimes. They've told me eight hours a day while I'm in probation

If you didn't do your 8 hours why would you think it's ok to leave!?

Pasadenadreaming · 06/03/2023 23:01

I had this the other week - an online meeting that ran over my usual lunch break. Just said to my boss I'd finish an hour early to make up for it, it was fine. My lunch break is an hour unpaid so I'll always make sure I take it. I finish at 3pm anyway which is why I finished early that day, but if I was working until 5pm or later I'd make sure I took my lunch break during the day, just later than usual.

Gazelda · 06/03/2023 23:01

So do you now acknowledge that it was a mistake to leave work early?

Do you enjoy the job? Do you want to keep it? How are you planning to respond if someone asks you why you left early?

ImSoShiney · 06/03/2023 23:03

There are laws about rest breaks, as an employee it worth familiarising yourself with these

Original poster
leaveitnow1244 · 06/03/2023 23:04

@Gazelda I do enjoy the job and I have no idea what to say if it's picked up. Suggestions are welcome!

OP posts:
Nimbostratus100 · 06/03/2023 23:06

leaveitnow1244 · 06/03/2023 23:04

@Gazelda I do enjoy the job and I have no idea what to say if it's picked up. Suggestions are welcome!

"I am very very sorry"

"It won't happen again"

Redglitter · 06/03/2023 23:06

Reminders50 · 06/03/2023 22:29

yes, exact same thread but from the boss’ point of view last week!

I thought it sounded familiar

Hiddenvoice · 06/03/2023 23:07

I guess it depends on your work. If I miss lunch then it’s something I’d need to address with my line manager as I am not able to leave before the end of my shift.
This is something you should maybe check with your manager before doing next time. You shouldn’t leave early without alerting someone, mainly due to a possible fire alarm going off and people are looking for you, unaware that you’ve gone home early.
If it is picked up then I’d be honest about what happened but wouldn’t take the risk of doing it again without speaking to someone first.

Tink1990 · 06/03/2023 23:07

Maybe on occasion, but always after seeking permission from my manager. In fact, I think I've only ever done this perhaps twice in my life, due to specific appointments, not 'just because' I would never just log off early without telling anyone, no.

Echobelly · 06/03/2023 23:08

I think it should be fine, but I'd probably check.

In my last but one job they were generally pretty chilled but I remember asking to leave an hour early after missing lunch (and for something childcare related, not frivoulous) and they said no. The expectation is in some workplaces that surely no one actually takes lunchbreak, so missing it shouldn't count, I think.

In my current job no one is especially keeping tabs on me, so I don't usually tell anyone if I'm, for example, working 8-4 instead of 9-5, but I put hours I'm not available in my calendar so people know I'm not available or I let people know if there's any reason they might need to.

JudgeRudy · 06/03/2023 23:14

I'll assume you've read the replies to your manager but on the off chance that it's a different situation here goes.
You are an adult. If you are given a specific time to take your break then that is when you take it. If you chose to work rather than eat/rest/chat then that's on you. You won't get paid for your break and it will not count towards your working day. If for example you are on a late shift and scheduled to work from 12:30 to 20:30 you are expected to be there are the beginning and end of your shift.
Your break might be at a slightly different time each shift but you should know in advance when this is.

If you have a health appointment or something important that cannot be rescheduled your manager might agree to let you leave a little early. You have no automatic right to do this though and it should be agreed with management first.
If you're having difficulty understanding this your manager should take the time to explain fully how things work. Let's say you have an employee handbook....this might take a while to look at. Your manager might allow you extra time to look at this and ask questions, maybe a couple of hours.
If you leave work before 20:30 again without permission it's unlikely you will pass your probation. If you're ND or have a LD or maybe struggle with written English you should have spoken up. Management will assume you have disobeyed orders and broken your contract. This is good cause for sacking you.

DixonD · 06/03/2023 23:17

It would be fine at my place if you cleared it in advance - say, if you have an appointment and want to work your lunch hour so you can leave early.

But, that said, you have to take at least a 20 minute break after six hours, so it depends how “by the book” they are. I work for a law firm!

Lavender14 · 06/03/2023 23:29

Depends on how much you manage your own diary. I imagine you should probably mention to your line manager and in most workplaces it would be fine as long as there's not work obligations you're skipping out on to leave early. It depends on your line of work and responsibilities

Arapawa · 06/03/2023 23:34

You're on probation and you're acting like this! Deary me. Not boding well.

BoxOfCats · 06/03/2023 23:34

It would be fine in my work. People often have back to back meetings so it's not uncommon to have either only a short break for lunch or just eat during a meeting.
No one clock watches so people often come in early, leave late, pop out for appointments etc. So long as you are doing your hours and turning up to key meetings then no one cares,