Work - take but no give

Captain Slow IRL

We got a memo in work yesterday and management was giving out about timekeeping, their arguement was justified to a degree but unfair on another aspect.
They've told us:
- anyone over 1 minute late twice in a week will be docked an hours wage
- 10 minute tea breaks (this I'm unsure on - is it 2x 10 or 15 minute breaks we should be entitled to?)

We are held back frequently to finish off work and they refuse to pay us any overtime - usually about a half hour and the odd time up to an hour.

We've been told that there is going to be a meeting soon on the above mentioned topics, I'd just like to have some ammunition to go into it with - I have a feeling that if I was to argue about the unpaid overtime, I'll be told where the door is if I don't like it.

dreamers75

Nothing you can do tbh other than refuse to work late and if its private sector fairly sure they lording it over you that you should be glad to have a job.


I did the same thing in my job from orders from above, i tried to explain that i didnt mind if they were late as i expect them to stay late when needed. I was asked if i wanted to be replaced

jimoc

Have a read of
http://www.ibec.ie/IBEC/ContractOfEmployment.nsf/vPages/Contract_of_Employment~legal-requirements?OpenDocument

or

http://www.jobsearch.ie/applicants/your_employment_rights.htm

The legal minimum requirement is a 15 minute break, they cannot reduce this to 10 minutes.

Captain Slow IRL

•15 minutes where more than four and a half hours have been worked; 30 minutes where more than six hours have been worked which may include the first break.

I'm currently working from 9am to 5:30pm with a half hour unpaid break at 1pm. On fridays, we work until 4:30pm

Am I right to say we are entitled to 2x 15 minute paid breaks based on the quote from the jobsearch.ie link?

jomc

no, you are only entitled to a single half hour unpaid per day not a half hour plus two fifteen mins

Captain Slow IRL

So anything apart from that is up to the employer to allow you to take?

Nody

Also if I remember correctly the company can not actually enforce any deductions on your salary as punishment with out disciplinary hearing (i.e. the 1 hour deduction for 1 min late would most likely not hold up if challenged).

jimoc

Captain Slow IRL wrote: »

I'm currently working from 9am to 5:30pm with a half hour unpaid break at 1pm. On fridays, we work until 4:30pm

Am I right to say we are entitled to 2x 15 minute paid breaks based on the quote from the jobsearch.ie link?

If you work up to 4.5 hours you must take one 15 min break.
If you work up to 6 hours you must take one 30 minute break.

This 30 minute break includes the 15 minutes so you only get a single break, not 2 x 15 minutes breaks.

Also, your company cannot make you take the 30 minutes as two 15 minute breaks, it must be taken as one 30 minute break.

Captain Slow IRL

jimoc wrote: »

If you work up to 4.5 hours you must take one 15 min break.
If you work up to 6 hours you must take one 30 minute break.
..................

Is this a paid or unpaid break?

Currently, we're getting a 10 minute paid break at 11am and again at 4pm as well as the unpaid half hour dinner break at 1pm.

jimoc

Captain Slow IRL wrote: »

Is this a paid or unpaid break?

Currently, we're getting a 10 minute paid break at 11am and again at 4pm as well as the unpaid half hour dinner break at 1pm.

From the Ibec Page quoted above :

Rest breaks during the working day
An employer must ensure that your employees do not work for any more than 4.5 hours without a break of 15 minutes. If the hours of work are greater than six hours an employee’s total rest break entitlement is 30 minutes, which can include the 15 minute break already referred to. Rest breaks must not be given at the end of the working day. The breaks outlined here are the absolute minimum and most companies would provide for longer breaks. Such breaks are unpaid.

Rest breaks for shop employees
There are special provisions governing the daily rest breaks of retail workers. They cover any retail trade or business, not including hotels, the preparation of food including catering operations or licensed premises. For any shop employee whose hours of work include the hours from 11.30 a.m. to 2.30 p.m. and who works more than six hours, the minimum duration of the break shall be one hour. The one hour break should take place between the hours mentioned and cannot be granted at the end of the working day.

Shelflife

Captain Slow IRL wrote: »

Is this a paid or unpaid break?

Currently, we're getting a 10 minute paid break at 11am and again at 4pm as well as the unpaid half hour dinner break at 1pm.

Capt on your current hours you are entitled to a 30min unpaid break, you have no entitlement to any other breaks, the fact that you are getting 2 10min paid breaks is due to your caring employer.