Head of department complaining that I don’t take breaks

Mrs OBumble

In the past, banks would mandate that employees took at least one two week holiday each year, as it would be more difficult to hide financial fraud if you were away from the branch for a full two weeks.

This is current practice in many financial organisations.

It's also legally required to let employees have two weeks continuous if they want it. Some companies insist on 2 week periods, to easily prove they're meeting the law.

Nekarsulm

The office I work in requires you to take a minimum of 30 minutes break at a time of your choosing between 12.30 and 14.30 daily.

You must clock out, and back in again.

We operate a flexi-time clock system, and failure to clock out for a minimum 30 minute imposes a 2 hour penalty on your "worked time".

con___manx1

Look at your company's saefty statement. Every company has one. Its against health and saefty not to take breaks.

If the workload is to much for you to take a break that needs to be looked at.

A heavy workload is also against health and seafty as it can cause stress and fatigue. that could lead to an accident or a silly mistake that could of otherwise been avoided if you had a proper rest period.

bartkingcole

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122257493#Comment_122257493

that sounds like civil service. The max 2 hour thing was brought in because the old system was abused. Someone could clock out and then clock back in a min later and it would only deduct 30 mins - then they would head out on their lunch.

Wanderer2010

Are you new to the working world? Why on earth would you not take your breaks? A job is just a job a means to an end. If your bosses see you as someone who will work through breaks and are willing to go over and above trust me they will NOT see that as a good thing and will ride you silly and take advantage of you until you are full of resentment and broken.

Take your breaks OP.

muzakfan

I think you have to take a 30 minute break in an 8 hour day to satisfy the law. We don't need to clock out for breaks but the clock system only counts 8 hours as having passed if you clock out 8 hours 30 mins after clocking in.

Go for a walk or read a book etc for 30 mins even if not hungry.

witchgirl26

OP I woulodn't always take all my breaks in a day - depends on meetings etc but I would always take a break for lunch. Realistically the company want you to do this to cover them & it also benefits you. I get that when you're on a roll, it's hard to stop but you will end up compromising your physical health if you don't do something about it. Believe me - I had a friend who ended up very sick from just working non-stop. Not necessarily doing overtime but just not taking any break during the day.

As for the fraud - I work in that space & yes an employee who doesn't take breaks or holidays is a red flag. Usually it's nothing but if there is a fraud taking place, the person will not want to leave it unattended in case it's picked up by someone else. In fact that's how a huge number of frauds are discovered - an employee steps in to cover a role & notices something is amiss.

ted1

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122256291#Comment_122256291

because when they do, there cover ups are exposed

Nekarsulm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122257549#Comment_122257549

It is the CS, but the flexi/vision-time system isn't so easily kidded now, and will notify your manager as well as knocking 2 hours off your worked time.

Flinty997

I find the problem with people who overwork eventually run themselves into the ground and get sick. Then it's a pain to have to find cover for them as it requires multiple people do to the same hours.

Unless of course someone else can do the same work in normal hours with breaks. Which is often the case.

mada999

I know a manager who asked the IT department to limit the working hours for one of their team members