Enforced, unpaid, rest breaks, but nowhere to go!

[brocolliobama10]

Our employer has just started enforcing a 20 min rest break on our 7 hour working day, extending our shift by 20 unpaid minutes. It's the law they say, but they don't provide anywhere for us to take the break, meaning we have to take it at our desk, which is not a break! Is this legal?

It is illegal to work over 6 hours without a break. Surely you're not tied to your desk and you're allowed to have a walk around the building/outside?

Go for a walk.

Were none of you taking a lunch break before this? I would sit in my car, as the weather if the weather is bad.

They could be breaching health and safety regulations if they don't provide a break room/ rest facility of some kind. A walk around the building doesn't cut it.

They are meant to provide somewhere designated for you to have a break, it doesn't have to be a full on staff room but there is meant to be a suitable rest area where you can take a break away from your workstation.

Look up the working time regulations 1998.

Do some stretches at your desk .

In fairness I've worked lots of places that didn't have a staff room. We either went out or ate and chatted at our desks.

It's a legal requirement for a 30 min break over 6 hrs.

I go and sit in my car during my break. I can vape in the warmth then, rather than get piss wet through if it's raining

20 minutes

https://www.gov.uk/rest-breaks-work