Lunch Breaks!!?

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Kemodo 344™	no its not your alowed two breaks a day plus lunch break, well lets put it this way the goverment recongizes that if you spend more then two hours in front of the computer it can be damaging to you. Was this answer helpful to you? Yes / No

Nicole R	You should check with your state's department of labor and training regarding the law on meal breaks and breaks. It varies from state to state but you should be getting 2- 10 minute breaks and 1 half hour break for 9 hours of work. -HR Girl Was this answer helpful to you? Yes / No

steven	Most likely not legal, call the labor board for your state. The labor board takes these things seriously. Regarding the flourescent light, the problem with those lights is that they flicker constantly. Even if you don't notice the flickering on a conscious level, your eyes still notice. Get a lamp and put it next to you...the lamp willl help overide the flickering that your eyes are noticing. Was this answer helpful to you? Yes / No

crazyguyintx	It's legal. You don't have to work there. You are free to quit anytime and work somewere else. Was this answer helpful to you? Yes / No

Veronica Alicia	Check out the "Shops, Factories and Offices Act" (can't remember the date but it must go back to the 50's at least) It sets out all the conditions like breaks, temperature of the place of work, etc. I seem to recall that you can only work for 4.5 hours, then you are entitled to 30 minutes break. You can contact the General Workers' Union or the Citizens Advice Bureau (in the UK) who will be able to give you full details of the Act if you can't find it on the web. Was this answer helpful to you? Yes / No

margie k	Your lunch and break periods, which you didn't mention, are legally determined by what state you work in. Some states, like Fl. are "right to work" states, where the employer can determine if you are allowed to even have a break!!! You need to check into your state's laws, contact the labor board. 20 minutes doesn't sound long enough by any standard, and they will be able to tell you this. Also you can find out about the light fixture with them, I know that in the food industry a flourescent light MUST have a cover on it, it is the law. May apply here as well, for your safety. If the light blew and shattered you could be injured. Hope this helps - and wow look for another job if you can !!! sounds medieval there !!! Was this answer helpful to you? Yes / No

Rainbow	You should talk to your Health& Safety rep. about the problem with your office lighting. You shouldn't have to put up with daily headaches. If you work a nine hour day, you should be allowed a paid break of 30 minutes. However, some companies insist you take a longer unpaid break at lunch time. Twenty minutes break a day doesn't sound reasonable at all. Put the words "lunch break laws" into a search engine, or look at the websites below. Good luck! Was this answer helpful to you? Yes / No

k	What are making you do is ILLEGAL. You MUST have a break 5 minute every half hour AWAY from computer - this may be going to the toilet or making a cup of tea - a lot of people where I work take their drinks back to their desks. This on TOP of your lunch break. I was told this 2 WEEKS ago by a optician who I had gone to see for my regular eye test. And a similiar thing was said by the Physiotherapist who vists my building. Was this answer helpful to you? Yes / No

alatoruk	afraid it is legal european law - everyone must remember we are all europeans now - requires a minimum break of 20 mins every 5 hours. Was this answer helpful to you? Yes / No

delph	Are you sure they don't mean a 20minutes PAID break? And that you don't get paid for the rest of the break? Was this answer helpful to you? Yes / No

juicy_satsuma	Perfectly legal I'm afraid! In the UK your entitled to a break every 4 and a half hours. Its up to the company whether this break is one hour, half and hour 20 mins or less! Working with a computer has nothing to do with it. Your supposed to resy your eyes every 10 mins when you look at a computer but that rest can be looking out the window for a minute. If they make a change like this they need to get you to sign a new contract saying this. So if you don't like it.... don't sign. But its legal. Also can I add that these are the UK yahoo pages and so advice about states and laws etc in the US won't apply in the UK. Not sure if the asker is American or British but if you want thes best answer your best bet is to post on your countries pages. Was this answer helpful to you? Yes / No

Tapestry6	There are state laws that give people 2 10 minute breaks a day plus 30 minutes for lunch. Your bosses are breaking all sorts of state rules.. call your state attorney general and tell them what is going on.. they will set them straight. Violation of the law can include fines and be checked each year to make sure they aren't in violation again. What you are telling me is they are basically wanting slave labor and that is against the law in the U.S. Was this answer helpful to you? Yes / No

Dan	It is federal law that in a 8 hour day you get a 30 min unpaid lunch and 2 15 min paid breaks Was this answer helpful to you? Yes / No

leysarob	Most states do not require any breaks. But a few do, so check with your state's Department of Labor for the laws in your state -- they are usually listed on their website, sometimes under wage and hour division. Also, check with your eye doc -- you may be able to get tinted glasses to help with the light glare. I'm fairly certain your employer isn't breaking any safety rules with the light. Was this answer helpful to you? Yes / No

Ed-209	Will they allow you to turn off that flourescent light and bring in lamps or other light sources? As for the legality of whether or not you are allowed breaks, it varies from state to state. 20 minutes is awfully short break for a 9 hour day, though... Was this answer helpful to you? Yes / No

coolrockboy380	In the US, there is no federal law that require anyone be given a break unless they are under the age of 18. There may be state laws mandating breaks where you live, but it is unlikely. So they don't even have to give you the 20 minutes. However, if you are not getting a lunch hour, they have to pay you for that hour you are not allowed to go to lunch. (Provided you are paid hourly.) If you are eligible for overtime pay, you should be getting about 5 hours a week paid at time and half. If you are not being paid for all that time, you can and should file a wage and hour claim with the Dept of Labor to recover all of those unpaid hours, and you should talk to your coworkers about doing the same. Was this answer helpful to you? Yes / No

Judy	It depends on where you are. Some states mandate breaks or lunch breaks after a certain number of hours of work, but most don't, it's between you and your employer. There is no federal law mandating breaks, lunch or otherwise. Was this answer helpful to you? Yes / No

Jennifer B	It depends on what state you live in and your job position. Check with your labor board. Some positions are considered "exempt" from standard rules regarding breaks, overtime, etc., and oftentimes administrative jobs fall within the "exempt" rules, at least where I live (Michigan). Good luck! Was this answer helpful to you? Yes / No

Kayee	I am not sure whether it is legal or not but right now i am working in the factory nine hours a day and i have 30 minutes for lunch and 2 other breaks for 15 minutes each . and i think u deserve more than 20 minutes break a day , and maybe u should speak to someone in the HR dept. Was this answer helpful to you? Yes / No

KJ	Please check the link below - sorry, but I'm afraid the legal break requirement for an adult working over 6 hours in a stretch is 20 minutes. However, you should have been given a written statement of employment terms within 2 months of starting work, and in there it should detail your working hours and breaks. If it does then your employers are varying the terms of your employment so I would seek advice - try ACAS. Was this answer helpful to you? Yes / No