How long is my actual lunch break? AIBU?

[gobbog]

In my organisation, we have core hours which we have to be working: 9:30-12 and then 2-4:30. We are entitled to take a one hour, unpaid lunch at the time of our choice between 12-2. We have a flexi time system.

These rules apply to everyone, but in my team, we often have days where someone puts on a meeting which runs until (say) 12:30 and then another meeting will start at (say) 1 and go on til 3. So, that only gives us 30 mins in which to take our lunch.

My colleagues and I can't do anything about the meeting times, as we are too junior. We think we should be able to record only 30 mins for lunch (and thus accrue the remaining 30 mins as flexi time).

Is this reasonable?

Do you electronically clock on & off for lunch breaks? When I did flexi we'd do that. At the company I was working at the system allowed us to clock back in 20 minutes after clocking out so I built up flexi hours that way. Loved that job. If you don't do that simply log whatever time you actually have for lunch, no more, no less.

When I worked flexi my core hours were 10.00am - 4.00pm, we could take our lunch from 11.00am - 3.00pm, a minimum of 30 minutes to maximum of 2 hours. We had to work 37 hours if full time, 7.5 hours Mon - Thurs & 7 hours on a Friday. We could start at 7.00am & had to leave by 6.00pm. Any time over each day could be banked & we could take 2.5 days a month off & 5 days twice a year, we could be + or - 18.5 hours at the end of each flexi period of 4 weeks. Depending on how many hours you work, will only taking 30 minutes lunch leave you in credit on meeting days? 30 minutes is enough time to grab a sandwich & a drink. Could you finish earlier on meeting days if you don't want to build up credit?

The law is you can only work up to 6 hours without a break, then you must take at least 20 minutes break.

Yep I no always recorded exactly what I’d worked and took it back in flexi

I wouldn't want an hour unpaid even if I was able to take it! I'd rather finish half an hour earlier than waste my own time stuck at work or close by. I think they should allow you to take and record either half hour or an hour where you are able to take an hour between meetings (if you want that long).

@kowari

I wouldn't want an hour unpaid even if I was able to take it! I'd rather finish half an hour earlier than waste my own time stuck at work or close by. I think they should allow you to take and record either half hour or an hour where you are able to take an hour between meetings (if you want that long).

Sounds like you are fortunate enough to have the sort of flexi time where you’re allowed to decide to take shorter breaks and adjust the time you leave work. Doesn’t sound like the OP has that choice, which is why she needs to query it.

No, I have fixed start, finish, and break times, the OP has flexi time. Why give flexibility then insist on a long lunch ?