To think that if you work 10-4?

[Lelly97]

That you should get a lunch break?

I quite clearly said have a snack before work and have lunch after.
If you can’t possibly ever change your day do do anything other than have lunch at 12-1 or you become seriously unwell I suggest you contact your GP. That’s not normal.

I work 8-2:30 because I want to take 1/2 hour lunch. I could work 8-2 if I didn’t want a break, it’s not difficult.

They're contracted 6.5 hours but many work more hours and are expected on site longer. Regardless it's not about teachers vs everyone else, lots of employers give breaks above the legal minimums

I work 9.30 - 2.30 and don't have an actual scheduled break but as I travel all over/work from home/work from different bases, I just eat my lunch as and when I can. If I wanted an actual break, I'd need to start/finish earlier/later.

Legally you can work for 6 hours without a break.

I think it’s fine for an office job or something where you are sat down mostly but can go grab a drink/ have toilet breaks when you need to.

But not for the sort of job where you are on your feet for 6 hours straight and can’t even go get a water or have a sit down if you need to. I don’t think that’s healthy or acceptable.

One call centre job I had before changed departments. Got an email each day to confirm your breaks. Some days the breaks were fucking crazy.

Did a 9-5 shift. Get my first break at 9:45am after taking about 6 calls and then my 2nd break was at 4:25. Got back to do about 3-4 calls then go. Lunch was 1pm (give/take 15 mins)

Thanks, it is a job where I am on my feet and moving around for the majority of the sheet

It does sound a bit medieval, legal or not. 😨 I'd rather work 9 to 5 and get my Greggs entitlement. But I don't have kids to drop off and pick up at school (not assuming the OP does, mind).

@Completelyjo

No, you did not "quite clearly" say eat lunch after work (which would be an equally stupid suggestion because 4pm is clearly well past lunch time and closer to tea time). You said:

Eat your breakfast and have a snack before work, followed by your lunch.

That statement is ambiguous and could be interpreted as have a snack before work (ie before 10am), followed straight by your lunch. Which is how i interpreted it. If you'd wanted to be a bit clearer, you could have said "have your lunch after work", couldn't you.

And if you seriously believe I need to see my GP becuase I experience hunger and symptoms of low blood sugar at the normal lunchtime window of 12-1pm ish, then I'd suggest there's possibly something wrong with you rather than me.

Not the sole reason obviously but one reason certainly. Laws which say a worker need not be given a break until they've worked for 6 hours straight prevent people who's health is not the best from doing jobs where the employer holds staff to that. If you are a cleaner with a health condition, you may be able to manage to clean for a couple of hours, have a break and then start again. If you have to clean for 6 hours without a break then you wouldn't be able to take that job. I'm not sure why you think the fact that it was worse in the past before the laws needs stating. That's perfectly obvious. I'm not suggesting dispensing with the WTR, I'm saying they are not good enough and in this aspect need to be more generous to workers.

Oh and I didn't say I "can't possibly change my day" 🙄🙄 I said I could not go 10-4 without eating, as it would make me feel unwell.

I used to work 11-5 and was entitled to a 15min break

@Completelyjo

No, not entitled to any break working 6 hours. If you work over 6 hours then the entitlement is 20 mins.

@dreamer24
it isn’t my fault if you struggle with reading comprehension and understanding basic sentences. Maybe have a sandwich.

Yeah I don’t think that’s really on and probably says a lot about the company you work for not really caring about their employees wellbeing sadly.

🤣

Yeah, it's my reading comprehension that's the issue. I quoted what you said. It was not clear. 🤷‍♀️

I've clarified this.

I thought that if you worked 6 hours you were entitled to a 20 minute break, but no more. Not sure where I got that info from though!

I work 9-3 and I’m not entitled to a break but I take regular screen breaks, make myself a coffee and lunch which I eat at my desk, which is fine. It would be really difficult to work six hours straight though and not have a break at all.

I worked 8-2 officially and agreed with my manager I wouldn’t have a break. I usually ended up staying an extra 30-60 minutes but generally ate something at my desk.

@Completelyjo
Also, I said I would feel unwell by 4pm if I didn't eat between 10-4. What I meant by that was, u would feel lightheaded and sickly and fatigued, due to low blood sugar.

You responded:

If you can’t possibly ever change your day do do anything other than have lunch at 12-1 or you become seriously unwell I suggest you contact your GP. That’s not normal.

So, you're adding the word "seriously" before unwell, making it hyperbolic, and then on the back of your own hyperbole you advise me to contact my GP because "that's not normal". 😂

Ultimately, it's very normal for many people to have low blood sugar and feel a little unwell if they skip meals. No GP or drama required.

And I'm the one with shit reading comprehension 👍🏻🤣

I understand why you hate teachers so much.

Yours weren’t very successful at teaching you maths, were they?

Even assuming staff just did their directed hours, 8.30-3.30 would be seven hours, hence the entitlement to an (unpaid) break.

I do a 6 hour shift (9-3) and have no breaks so eat my lunch at my desk. I get up to make cups of tea and my manager encourages me to go outside for a quick walk midday. I’d prefer to work a full day and have a proper break but for now it’s good because I can do the school run.