I was just curious if me not taking a lunch by my own desicion (not being forced to work through) is bad or illegal? I know that my job has to offer me one, but if I don't take it could I get in trouble?\n\nAlso, my reason is... I would rather work 9-5 with no lunch than 9 to 6 with an hour lunch...
206737
In some states, if you ae over 18, you don't have to take a break, but if you're working over a certain number of hours in a day, you have to take a break.
438347
Would you follow the ten second rule in a restaurant?  I guess it depends on how hungry you are to decide whether or not you want to try and eat food off of a floor.  If it was at my mother-in-laws who is ocd with cleaning you could follow a two hour rule there, although I am sure she would have "cleaned it up" before then.
302330
well  if  you  have   been   working  there  would   be   food  in  the   house unless  your   buying   drugs  or  blowing  your   money.my   answer  would  be  work  where  i   could.   and   not  blow  what  i  made   on  nonsense.if  your  working  there  shouldnt  be  a   problem.
175774
Does an employer have to provide employees breaks or a meal period?\nNo, unless the employee is under the age of 16.
661488
Michigan State law is:\nEmployees under 18 years of age may not work more than 5 continuous hours without a 30 minute uninterrupted rest period.  There are no requirements for breaks, meal or rest periods for employees over 18 years of age. \n\nWhere an employer has a break, meal or rest period policy, the employee must be completely relieved of work duties and free to pursue his or her own interest to not be considered work time (Cherney v. West Michigan Cleaners 84-3823).\n\nFederal Law is:\nFederal law does not require lunch or coffee breaks. However, when employers do offer short breaks (usually lasting about 5 to 20 minutes), federal law considers the breaks work-time that must be paid. Unauthorized extensions of authorized work breaks need not be counted as hours worked when the employer has expressly and unambiguously communicated to the employee that the authorized break may only last for a specific length of time, that any extension of the break is contrary to the employer's rules, and any extension of the break will be punished.\n\nBona fide meal periods (typically lasting at least 30 minutes), serve a different purpose than coffee or snack breaks and, thus, are not work time and are not compensable. \n****************************************\nMy experience after many years of working:\n\nTypically most companies will give their non-exempt (hourly, not salaried employees) two paid 15 minute breaks during an 8 hour work day.  A lunch break is usually offered but is not paid.  So in other words if you take a 1/2 hour lunch you would be expected to work an 8.5 hour workday to make up for the 1/2 hour you took for your lunch. \n\nHope this helps!
65431
It looks like they weren't required to give you the breaks before so they are within the law not giving you breaks now.\n\nUnless you are a minor, then you are required to get a 15 minute break for every 4 hours you work.
362399
Anymore employers seem to be able to do anything they want and unfortunately whether it is legal or not GET AWAY WITH IT.\n\nMy boss' idea of a pay cut was like last week for example.  Instead of working our normal scheduled 32 hr holiday week schedule +8hrs holiday pay, all I got was 23 hrs of work just because upper mngmnt said we need to save money "again".\nThis is the kind of BS we've been tolerating lately off and on and its getting really old.  Mngmnt doesn't get any proportional weekly cut and I feel they should as well.  Its always the working stiff in America who has to eat the SH** of mngmnt's problems.  I feel a lot of working people would agree with this statement.
136766
I know what you mean.  I had a "permanent temporary" position in the receiving office of a warehouse that also had a lot of "permanent temporary" warehouse workers.  The temps were paid less than half the hourly rate of the regular employees and received no benefits.  One of the warehouse managers would always remark about the "lazy temps" and the "stupid temps" even though often the temps would be doing all the work as their own employees did nothing.  Also, in all the time I worked there (about 8 months) not once did a temp cause an accident, but at least three times, the same company employee ran into someone with a forklift, and they didn't care because it was a temp that he hit every time.  Once they even brought in pizza, had the company employees eat, then told the temps we could eat the leftovers.  I flatly told them that if I want pizza, I will go and buy it fresh, but I do not eat anyone else's scraps.  They then said that I had an "attitude".
302176
why is the food automatically free. Does getting up automatically give up ownership rights to said food stuffs?  Why are people eying the food like that? Am I supposed to be a homeless wino in a mall with a bunch of other homeless winos. So if I am a homeless wino...free food or free sex. Well I would take food...If I am thinking about it that much I must be starving to death. And I better take it before all the other poor bastards get it before me. As for the sex...I can take care of that part later by myself if needed...should be lots of free sex under in the subway where I live.
503921
Well there's a difference here.. if you're referring to someone who is ill and asks another employee to come in for their shift, then I see no issue with that.  But if you just don't show up and ask someone who's already working to pick up the slack, then someone should inform the boss.  And... that person should say NO.
521759
I am in North Yorkshire, UK. I take a packed lunch which normally consist of a sarnie, light crisps and low fat yoghurt. No alcohol. I personally wouldnt consume alcoholic when working, I'd normally leave it till the weekend. I dont think it is wise to drink and return to work. It could affect your performance and attitude towards others, let alone the sheer embarresment of your boss smelling it on you!
565780
I don't believe they have the right to demand that you not carry your cell phone.  Unless it impedes the quality or safety of your work.  Or are just worried about inneffeciency in the temptation of using your cell phone during work.  I wouldn't see that happening though.  Your employer might just be uptight.
349974
Working in a restaurant is almost never fair. Hours and wages are long and low. Some of us are just "addicted" to this industry, and are willing to get no breaks, etc. If this isn't your chosen field of choice, it's better to work at Wal-mart, more of a "real" job.
442399
lol. no there are absoulutley no laws about teachers making students not eat in school because they kept them in at lunch time. but there's a first time for everything. maybe if you took a test or quiz that day after lunchtime you could complain you didnt do well b/c u were too hungry and its proven that brains arent active when theres not food to digest and go to court. It could go to the Supreme Court b/c its a good argument and you'd be a hero for all students across the U.S
73567
I think that is a personal choice.  If you don't want to work on Sunday, than don't. I know some people don't feel as if they have a choice, but ultimately they do.
338932
You've got a point. I vote for the do-nut. I think the late bird should get punished and get the crappy worm. Unless this cliche is a warning to all those kiss ups who get to work early. "Yeah, make ME look bad? Yeah, I'll give you something for that. I'll give you a worm! Me and my slacker buddies will have the doughnuts. We were late to work b/c we had to pick then up." Those early, birdy jerks.
340444
Depends on how often you go to lunch with your boss.  Maybe you should bring other co-workers along so there is more opportunity for other conversation.  This relieves a lot of pressure from you and places some on someone else.  Additionally, if you are worried about it being too personal, then this would also make this a non-personal lunch and more of a group setting.  By way of removing the one on one it removes the personal situation out.\n\nGood luck!