Break Entitlements

lost_for_words

I work from half nine in the morning until six or one until half nine at night, and at least once a week I am required to work from 9.30 am till 9.30 pm. I have worked for this company for over two years now and the story stays the same, I get a half hour unpaid to have my lunch. If I am working the long 12 hour day I get 1 hour for my lunch in total.
This doesn't seem right to me at all, can anybody confirm whether these are the legal amounts of time to be provided or have this company been scamming me (and many others).

zuutroy

lost_for_words wrote:

I work from half nine in the morning until six or one until half nine at night, and at least once a week I am required to work from 9.30 am till 9.30 pm. I have worked for this company for over two years now and the story stays the same, I get a half hour unpaid to have my lunch. If I am working the long 12 hour day I get 1 hour for my lunch in total.
This doesn't seem right to me at all, can anybody confirm whether these are the legal amounts of time to be provided or have this company been scamming me (and many others).

sounds ok to me, more here

http://oasis.gov.ie/employment/employment_rights/hours_breaks_sundays.html?search=breaks

Stark

Hmm, they seem to have watered down some employee rights in the past few years while increasing others. You used to be entitled to at least 1 paid 20 minute break in the day in addition to an unpaid lunch break and you were also legally entitled to double the hourly rate of pay for working a Sunday.

I think most employers will still give you a paid 20 minute "tea break",

gerrycollins

by best practise the shift of 8 and a half hours entitles you to 15 mins paid every 4 and half hours unless your under 18 which is then every 4 hours

as a breakdown of your hours are eg. 9:30 to 14:00 your entitled to a break within that period of 15 mins

then 14:00 to 18:00 only 4 hours so technically no break as it does not exceed the 4 and half hours min.

but as in total its an 8 and half hour shift a half hour unpaid is best practise

If your working a 12 hours shift the same applies but you should get a paid 15 mins break along with the hour

your employer is sticking to the law like a fly to s**t and trying to get the most out of you so that he doesnt need to employ more people most employers do give longer breaks but do so to keep staff happy

Cutie18Ireland

i get 2 paid 15 min breaks a day and an unpaid hour for work and thats if i work 9-5! if i worked 9-9 it would be 3, 15 min paid breaks, an hour for lunch and a half hour around 6

whassupp2

I'm on a summer work placement. I'm under 18.
I work form 9 to 5:30.
I get 2 fifteen minutes paid breaks and a half hour unpaid break. I dont think its enough but its only for the summer so i cant complain.

Wishbone Ash

whassupp2 wrote:

I'm on a summer work placement. I'm under 18.
I work form 9 to 5:30.
I get 2 fifteen minutes paid breaks and a half hour unpaid break. I dont think its enough but its only for the summer so i cant complain.

You would have no grounds to complain, whether it's a summer job or not, as your employer is paying you for both 15 minute breaks although he/she is not obliged to.

lost_for_words

gerrycollins wrote:

by best practise the shift of 8 and a half hours entitles you to 15 mins paid every 4 and half hours unless your under 18 which is then every 4 hours

as a breakdown of your hours are eg. 9:30 to 14:00 your entitled to a break within that period of 15 mins

then 14:00 to 18:00 only 4 hours so technically no break as it does not exceed the 4 and half hours min.

but as in total its an 8 and half hour shift a half hour unpaid is best practise

If your working a 12 hours shift the same applies but you should get a paid 15 mins break along with the hour

your employer is sticking to the law like a fly to s**t and trying to get the most out of you so that he doesnt need to employ more people most employers do give longer breaks but do so to keep staff happy

Thanks for the detailed reply. I wouldn't have a hope of getting the extra 15 mins on a the 12 hour day, as it is the way scheduling is done I don't normally get to take the break as I have a managerial position and can't leave the shop to those of a lesser status in case something happens. If something occured when I was gone I would get the blame for not being there. On the qt I make sure everyone has longer breaks because it can be a demanding environment and a lot of the day is sitting in front of a computer, but i can't do the same for myself. Unofficially I have been told that as a deputy manager I could grab a quick bite to eat but not to leave the shop. I think it's time for a new job

lostexpectation

lost_for_words wrote:

Thanks for the detailed reply. I wouldn't have a hope of getting the extra 15 mins on a the 12 hour day, as it is the way scheduling is done I don't normally get to take the break as I have a managerial position and can't leave the shop to those of a lesser status in case something happens. If something occured when I was gone I would get the blame for not being there. On the qt I make sure everyone has longer breaks because it can be a demanding environment and a lot of the day is sitting in front of a computer, but i can't do the same for myself. Unofficially I have been told that as a deputy manager I could grab a quick bite to eat but not to leave the shop. I think it's time for a new job

or do everyone a favour and use your whatver your position allows to change the policy.