Lunch problems at work.

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  • LaMiaVita
    LaMiaVita Posts: 22
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    Even though I'm my own boss and no one to blame but myself I sometimes have the same problem -- there's just no time to take a break when deadlines loom. A Clif bar or something similar with a cup of coffee does the trick for me in a pinch.
  • wolfchild59
    wolfchild59 Posts: 2,608 Member
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    There are absolutely no Federal Laws in regards to making companies provide breaks of any kind to their employees. The laws and regulations in regards to them are strictly on a state level, and the poster that stated that Michigan does not have to give breaks of any kind to employees 18 and over is absolutely correct.

    From the United States Department of Labor website, plain and simple: "Federal law does not require lunch or coffee breaks. "
    From the Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs website at Michigan.gov: "Employees 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 18 years of age or older."

    Just because a law is one way in the state or country that you live in doesn't mean it's the same everywhere, so we should all be a bit more aware of blatantly calling someone wrong in cases like this. ;)
  • Stacivogue
    Stacivogue Posts: 325 Member
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    I carry protein bars in my purse. Always. If I miss lunch, i just eat them. Though when people get really yummy smelling stuff and bring to meetings it sucks
  • WendyTerry420
    WendyTerry420 Posts: 13,274 Member
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    In Michigan there are absolutely no laws whatsoever about breaks or rest periods if you are over 18.

    That's wrong. It's a federal law which supercedes state law. You are required to have two breaks and a lunch if you work over 8 hours. If the employer isn't doing this you can go to the Labor Board and file a complaint. I've known people who have done so and were compensated well.

    That's actually not true at all.

    http://www.dol.gov/dol/topic/workhours/breaks.htm#.UHymrMXA9I0
    Federal 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 as compensable work hours that would be included in the sum of hours worked during the work week and considered in determining if overtime was worked. 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.
    Bona 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.
  • WendyTerry420
    WendyTerry420 Posts: 13,274 Member
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    I carry protein bars in my purse. Always. If I miss lunch, i just eat them. Though when people get really yummy smelling stuff and bring to meetings it sucks

    I keep a box in my cabinet. I ended up with two today because I was having a bad morning today.

    Protein bars are excellent in these situations. You just have to read the label carefully to make sure about the macros.
  • Leah2975
    Leah2975 Posts: 65 Member
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    There are absolutely no Federal Laws in regards to making companies provide breaks of any kind to their employees. The laws and regulations in regards to them are strictly on a state level, and the poster that stated that Michigan does not have to give breaks of any kind to employees 18 and over is absolutely correct.

    From the United States Department of Labor website, plain and simple: "Federal law does not require lunch or coffee breaks. "
    From the Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs website at Michigan.gov: "Employees 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 18 years of age or older."

    Just because a law is one way in the state or country that you live in doesn't mean it's the same everywhere, so we should all be a bit more aware of blatantly calling someone wrong in cases like this. ;)

    hey thanks!
  • WendyTerry420
    WendyTerry420 Posts: 13,274 Member
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    Just because a law is one way in the state or country that you live in doesn't mean it's the same everywhere, so we should all be a bit more aware of blatantly calling someone wrong in cases like this. ;)

    I didn't scroll the thread once I saw that comment. Sometimes I have to just Google it and post it....

    It seems a lot of people think that everything is a federal law. :noway:
  • CarlieeBear
    CarlieeBear Posts: 325 Member
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    As a substitute teacher I don't always have time to go to the bathroom, heat lunch (or even grab it from the teacher's lounge) and eat, so I carry Market Pantry nutrition bars with me. They typically keep me satisfied for the rest of my day for about 200 calories.

    Today, I had one of those and a banana on a field trip where we did a lot of walking and was pretty hungry by the time I left school. We didn't get breaks other than sitting on the bus, but my day was also only about 7 hours and was totally fun! We took the second graders to an arboretum and they loved it! I was subbing for the ESL teacher so wasn't in charge of a whole classroom, so it was an easy day for me and super super fun!

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