Is this fair regarding breaks? Finishing later

[25smallstacey]

Just want a 2nd opinion before signing contract

I had agreed a work schedule of 9-5 on a 40 hour contract with hourly pay. I have received my contract and it says 30 minute breaks are unpaid. This would bring me down to 37.5 paid hours per week

They have said I can work 9-5:30 so that I still receive 40 hours pay per week. Is this the norm? I had organised childminder pick up at 5:30, based on leaving at 5

Yeah most people have unpaid breaks don't they?

Yes if you want to work and be paid for 40 hours per week. It would be extremely unusual to be paid for breaks.

Were you proposing to work 9-5 with no breaks?

Yes, completely normal wherever I've worked.

Yes that is normal. You will need to rearrange your childcare to accommodate a later pick by yourself or your partner will have to do the 5.30 pm pick up.

It would be unusual for breaks to be paid. Totally fair.

I understand, I thought when they offered 9-5 on a 40 hour contract that I would be paid for breaks (I currently am in my position) and am surprised to be now asked to work later to cover this

Completely normal not to be paid for breaks

It's unusual to be paid for breaks so this is completely normal.

Yep, I work 7.30 - 4 on a 40hr contract
Paid breaks, unpaid 30 min lunch

If i was offered a 40 hour contract then I'd expect to be paid for 40 hours.

Unusual to be paid for breaks, especially on an hourly rate.

Where do you work where you were paid for breaks?

@IMustDoMoreExercise My last position I worked 9-5 and was on a 40 hour contract. Was paid for 40 hours and all staff were paid for breaks

Well, I've never heard of that. Was it an office job?

No, with children. We were simply paid 40 hours, rather than being exclusively told our breaks were paid

How long were your breaks.

30 minutes but could be broken into two 15s depending on busyness

I saw a poster in Aldi advertising that they paid the breaks of their staff so it must be unusual. I have had it when a 15 min break in a 5 hour shift was paid but never when a 30 minute break in a full day was paid.

That said, they should have been clearer in their offer. Are you still going to take the job?

I don't mind not being paid if that was explained but if you advertise 40 hours at 9-5, the person accepts the job and then you say 'oh in order to get paid 40 hours, we need to change your working hours' a bit strange

I understand it's unusual to get paid for breaks and I'm currently in a company who have very little benefits, so I suspect they pay breaks to hold onto staff

It’s completely normal. I do know of a few people who get paid for 30
minute meal breaks, this is in healthcare and the reason why they are paid is because there are rules about what they can and can’t do on breaks e.g. they can’t leave the premises and may even be called back in an emergency, so it’s not a true break. But the vast majority of people don’t get paid for breaks.

I had calculated my expected yearly pay on this and arranged childcare based on finishing at 5

Jobs are advertised with the hours you are expected to be at work, inclusive of unpaid break(s). So advertising a job as 9-5 and it being 37.5hrs working and 2.5hrs of unpaid break is normal, especially for a salaried job rather than an hourly job.