Lunch Breaks

[Posytoes]

I’m back to work as a shop assistant tomorrow and, because the shop’s opening hours have been temporarily reduced due to COVID, we are now only entitled to a 15 minute lunch break. I don’t think that’s an adequate amount of time in which to go to the toilet, wash my hands, test my blood sugars, do my injection and eat my lunch. I feel I should be able to ask for an extra five minutes but am reluctant to do so - it’s a family owned and run business and you raise your head above the parapet at your own risk! Any advice gratefully received. TIA.

 

[Daphne917]

I would say a 15 min lunch break was not long enough for most people! As a diabetic you are covered under the disability act and your employer has a duty of care to ensure that you have enough time to do what you need to to manage your condition - if you need additional time discuss it with them.

 

[Jaylee]

I’m back to work as a shop assistant tomorrow and, because the shop’s opening hours have been temporarily reduced due to COVID, we are now only entitled to a 15 minute lunch break. I don’t think that’s an adequate amount of time in which to go to the toilet, wash my hands, test my blood sugars, do my injection and eat my lunch. I feel I should be able to ask for an extra five minutes but am reluctant to do so - it’s a family owned and run business and you raise your head above the parapet at your own risk! Any advice gratefully received. TIA.

Hi,

From what I know. (Someone correct me if I'm wrong.) employees are legally entitled to 20 minutes after 4 hours work time.

Though I've done retail & have been surprised to get 2 "tea breaks" thrown in with the half an hour lunch, too..

 

[Goonergal]

@Posytoes aside from your entitlements under the disability act, this is from the UK Government website - @Jaylee is right about the 20 mins, but you need to be working 6 hours:

https://www.gov.uk/rest-breaks-work
Overview
Workers over 18 are usually entitled to 3 types of break - rest breaks at work, daily rest and weekly rest.

Rest breaks at work
Workers have the right to one uninterrupted 20 minute rest break during their working day, if they work more than 6 hours a day. This could be a tea or lunch break.

The break doesn’t have to be paid - it depends on their employment contract.

Daily rest
Workers have the right to 11 hours rest between working days, eg if they finish work at 8pm, they shouldn’t start work again until 7am the next day.

Weekly rest
Workers have the right to either:

• an uninterrupted 24 hours without any work each week
• an uninterrupted 48 hours without any work each fortnight

 

[KK123]

Hi there, regardless of how many minutes any other employee gets for their break, YOU are entitled to negotiate an adjustment to this to enable you to manage your type 1 diabetes. Your employer MUST make 'reasonable' allowances to accommodate this. Of course you don't wish to upset your Employer by making excessive demands, but another 5 minutes is very reasonable and also, you should get them to accept (in writing) that sometimes you may need to check your glucose levels at random times (if you're feeling off) and that your breaks as far as possible, should be conveyed to you for a set time so you can take your insulin 15 minutes before you eat. They need to KNOW about how insulin is used and what insulin users need to do, after all do they want you keeling over on the shop floor? I would never advocate going in all guns blazing (yet) but a calm, reasonable discussion is definitely the first step. Any decent Employer would care for the welfare of their staff in this instance. x

 

[KK123]

I would say a 15 min lunch break was not long enough for most people

Especially when you need at least 15 minutes between taking insulin and eating, hard to do I imagine when you are on the shop floor. x

 

[SuNuman]

Hi,

From what I know. (Someone correct me if I'm wrong.) employees are legally entitled to 20 minutes after 4 hours work time.

Though I've done retail & have been surprised to get 2 "tea breaks" thrown in with the half an hour lunch, too..

 

[SuNuman]

Hi. No. I work in a supermarket and we only get 15 for 4 hrs and then 30 mins if over 6. I’m T2 and it’s like a marathon to get upstairs, loo, wash hands, eat, clear up and back down again. Never have time to check BS. X.

 

[SuNuman]

Hi. No. I work in a supermarket and we only get 15 for 4 hrs and then 30 mins if over 6. I’m T2 and it’s like a marathon to get upstairs, loo, wash hands, eat, clear up and back down again. Never have time to check BS. X.

PS I’m always getting called back over speaker lol. X

 

[Lisa69free]

I tried the other day after finding my shift had changed that my previous routine of taking a 5 minute break to check blood and inject was no longer allowed and I would have to take it off my lunch break. I now wait till I need the toilet (hold it in till half hour before my lunch) and then do both at once lol. So if you was to pre bolus you are stuffed?

 

[scorpius14]

In retail/logistics its harder when you have different managers every day or when returning from a few days off; even the HR department will have changed employees over time and neglect to bring up my illness to their replacements. The accommodations I requested seem to be slipping away and forgotten [I said managing my condition may take 5-10 mins added on to each break depending whether or not I require a corrective dose] but it also slipped their mind that I require a place to do my tests in private; i've been using the toilet area for a few years, sometimes skipping my insulin/test if such areas are unavailable. I'd like to tell every line manager but I also very much dislike being given special treatment and being asked if i'm alright at regular intervals can be irritating, especially as i'm not the easiest person to get along with and have alot of trust issues with current managers.

 

[SuNuman]

Hi. No. I work in a supermarket and we only get 15 for 4 hrs and then 30 mins if over 6. I’m T2 and it’s like a marathon to get upstairs, loo, wash hands, eat, clear up and back down again. Never have time to check BS. X.

That should b 15 mins if over 4 hrs and ten mins worked. X