This article is a bit whiny. I work shifts of 12 hours without breaks many times. Even though people think that’s illegal, it isn’t. There is no Federal law that says you have to get a break, and Florida law only requires breaks for minors.
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9 Comments
Eric Wilner · July 26, 2022 at 7:33 am
Ah, but in California… I seem to recall there was a development, between the time I departed corporate employment and the time I departed the state, whereby breaks were mandatory. As in, employers must compel employees to take their assigned breaks – no working through lunch hour and knocking off an hour early, oh no. Break times must be assigned, and workers must take their assigned breaks at their assigned times.
This is called Freedom(TM).
Ygolonac · July 26, 2022 at 10:23 am
Same in Washington State. Although at my current job, I don’t have fixed break times because I’ve been here almost 20 years and don’t abuse the flex – as opposed to a bunch of the kiddies in my department that have hard requirements, because they *did* fuck around.
At the plastics plant, everyone did have specific break times, but that’s because everyone had to cover a machine while other people went on break or to lunch. Can’t just throw the inection-mold press on “pause” for ten to thirty minutes, usually, and as it’s running at shift change, you gotta be there on time.
Will · July 26, 2022 at 11:45 am
I can remember, many years ago, in Florida, that a 30 minute meal break was required during an 8 hour shift. I was told this by an employer. Not sure if it was true then and not sure it is true now.
Divemedic · July 26, 2022 at 2:11 pm
That is, and only ever has been, true of a MINOR who is working in Florida. Adults do not, and never have, had a right to a break in Florida.
Many people erroneously think differently. They are incorrect.
Source can be found here.
Tom from East Tennessee · July 26, 2022 at 2:12 pm
Sigh (about people whining about breaks).
If you like having a team atmosphere, people putting their breaks before everything else screws everyone else. Like the example above of the plastic line running, someone’s gotta be there. (or any other serious work endeavor whether it’s a factory, a hospital, a store, or whatever)
That’s the problem I have with mandated breaks… team players need the flexibility to plus or minus things like breaks in response to varying conditions. Even in the Navy where there were some rules a little bit like that (if you’re standing a 6 hour watch, not supposed to go over 8 hours continuous without CO permission), there were some backup rules in place for when your relief doesn’t show up and doesn’t show up and still doesn’t show up. If nothing else the general military orders about “stand my post until properly relieved” helps make sure there’s a reactor operator at the panel or whatever it is
We don’t seem to have much of that in my civilian jobs
Tennessee Budd · July 27, 2022 at 7:39 pm
I’m a tech, often on multi-day jobs at customers’ facilities. I live north of Trashville, and I’m near Memphis this week.
Here or anywhere, yes, my job says I get an AM break, a lunch, and a PM break. None of the techs in my lab observe any of that. We go full-on, and at some point, we usually work far enough ahead to create a breathing space: get a granola bar from my bag, go out & grab a smoke, get a bottle of water, & you’re back at it in 15 minutes. I’m here to serve customers, not lounge. They’re paying for every minute of my time, and I give them a fair return.
Our company isn’t the cheapest, but we provide a service worth it. I’m paid well for my knowledge & abilities. The flip side is that I’m to provide them to the best of my ability. I’m 57, and I’ve never known another way to do it.
Steve S · July 26, 2022 at 6:05 pm
I guess a 35 hour shift is out of the question then. No food breaks.
Prepping the Battlefield · July 26, 2022 at 6:43 pm
Love the R. Lee Ermey demotivational with the caption, work, turn this crap off and get back to it as he points.
The No Fans Left league won’t kneel if it’s not an American flag, just tell the comrades that breaks are a construct of the white male patriarchy or systemic racism and they will be cancelled.
Wilson · July 26, 2022 at 11:10 pm
I worked on computers for many years, breaks were in the job description. But, try telling a business owner you are taking a break while his million dollar system is down, and he has multiple folks with nothing to do till its back up. 🙂
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