'Get back to work': Employer sends employee on errands during their lunch, won't let them eat on the clock

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    Font - Posted by u/united states of LA The lunch break is for eating so go back to work My ex-employer would send me out on errands all the time to the point where my lunch time was over by the time I got back to the office. Many times, I would usually skip out on lunch because I personally did not have an appetite. One day I had to go submit some of the company documents somewhere and we were under staffed. So we agreed it's best I go during lunch time, I submitted the documents and grabbed som
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    Font - I arrived with only 5 minutes to spare and I was particularly hungry that day. I tried to eat as fast as possible and she was just talking to me the whole time so I can't chew and speak at the same time. At exactly 15:01 she tells me "The lunch hour is for you to get lunch AND eat it, if you cannot finish your food on time don't eat it during work hours, also please refrain from eating in the work area"
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    Font - 1. I was eating by the microwave because we do not have a designated lunch area 2. The store (place of employment) was completely empty I could have used a good 10 minutes to finish up 3. I didn't have time to eat because I was running YOUR errands.
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    Font - Cue malicious compliance, One day it was lunch time and I wasn't feeling particularly hungry so I am standing by the cash register. My boss rushes in exclaiming how she has a lot to do and we need to get the stock out of her car as fast as possible so she can go to her next meeting. "Will somebody please help me?!" No one responded.
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    Font - "OP you will help me get the stock out of the car right?" Me: "I would, but lunch time is for eating" I took a piece of gum and a bottle of water and stood in the parking lot for the whole hour. Watching her struggle with stock and look flustered. Not my problem.
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    Font - TLDR: boss tells me I can only use the lunch hour to eat after giving me tasks during the lunch hour on numerous occasions. So on a day she wanted to task me I said. "Nope I have to eat." Did not eat and stood quietly in her full view for an hour.
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    Product - Coren024 Never do work during break time. If you have to run an errand for work, that is work time, not your break time. 6.3k Reply Share united statesofLABIA OP I learned that the hard way. Even if I don't want to eat at that given moment, I AM taking that lunch break. 2.7k Reply Share
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    Font - TrenttheUncatchable1 Years ago, I was the assistant mgr at a bank branch. Every day at lunch I'd drive around to the back of the strip mall my branch was next to and just park my car and read. If I used the break room, I was constantly interrupted. If I left, everything somehow managed to get taken care of for 45 minutes. 772 Reply Share
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    Font - mendokusai99 One of my bosses pulled this so with me. I worked, nonstop, on a deadline until midnight the day prior, then from 7 - 14:00 the next day. I came back from lunch at 15:00 and was told that I was "contractually obligated to be in the office" at certain times. Fine. Neither came before nor stayed after the obligated times ever again. He tried it with me again on a late afternoon, Friday, but I informed him of my contract and fd off to a concert at quitting time. 458 Reply Share
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    Font - 2003Random User Sometimes I need someone to move to a different job site around break or lunch. (Construction job) I always tell them, somewhere between here and there take your break, pull into a gas station or fast food restaurant whatever, but take your time. Just don't walk in to the next job site and immediately say "I need to take break now" sit in your car if you have to in the parking lot. 186 Reply Share
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    Font - zepherths That is illegal in America. Don't know where you are but that's unpaid Time that they can't make you do anything Reply Share ✩ 423 423

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