Boss continually schedules mandatory meetings during unpaid lunch break: 'I don’t want to get marked as difficult, but I’m burnt out'

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A group of businesspeople have a meeting over lunch

My boss keeps scheduling mandatory meetings during my lunch break.

I've worked here for 10 months. My manager recently started booking team meetings right at my lunch hour, saying it's the only time everyone is free. I told him I need that time to eat and rest, I don't get paid for lunch. He said I was being uncooperative and that the meeting is required. Other teammates just go along with it, so I feel like I'm the only one pushing back.
I don't want to get marked as difficult, but I'm burnt out. I already skip breaks sometimes to finish work. Is there a polite way to set this boundary without risking my job?
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Commenters gave their opinions and takes on the story here.

sswishbone Take lunch after the meeting? Also don't skip breaks, that's marking you out as a doormat
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Cocacola_Desierto so take lunch before or after your lunch is basically extended; perfect.
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OhCheesusCrust If it's mandatory, then they have to pay you for it. Also, you are entitled to your lunch, so they should agree to let you take it before or after the meeting, but they can't just take it away from you like that.
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nancylyn Don't clock out. Do the meeting. Take lunch after.....if you have to eat on the clock so be it....that is your bosses fault. Absolutely do not do work when you are clocked out. If your boss pushes for that save his texts or emails stating it (get him to state it in a text or email) and report the company to the state. department of labor.
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aegrotatio Take your lunch to the meeting and eat it there.
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CJsopinion First, start looking for a new job. Second, track the meetings and your time cards. You need documentation. Third, check out the labor laws in your area. You're looking to see if you are entitled to a lunch break or not. And you are also looking at the laws around pay.
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If you are entitled to a lunch break then you have cause to file a complaint. If you've been attending these meetings while clocked out, it is probably wage theft.
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A group of employees have a meeting over lunch
This all hinges on your labor laws. Learn your rights and decide what to do. If you file a complaint, it may become uncomfortable working there. You can always file a complaint after you get a new job, but check your labor laws for deadlines to file. Good luck.
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Wild Year1810 In truth, as someone who has had this happen, the answer is no...This I supervisor already has you pegged as being difficult so the less said the better... Just take your lunch before or after the meeting, and make sure you take your breaks, too. Keep it light and
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cheerful and just get on with it as if there's been no difficulty at all between you and the supervisor and no drama. No talk of boundaries, just do. Best of luck and keep me posted, okay, OP?
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JosKarith At the end of the meeting. say "Right guys, I'm off on my lunch break now". When he objects tell him that it's legally mandated that you get a lunch break and you aren't allowed to work when you're not being paid. You're happy to push your lunch back to accomodate this meeting but you legally cannot cancel it or work through it.
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Any-Spring-8992 My boss does this and a few of us eat lunch during the meeting. I pack noisy crunchy foods to try to make a point! Carrots, chips, crinkly loud wrappers
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aegrotatio I was working for yet another failing startup. Some of the "C-levels" left for better opportunities. One of the replacements became some sort of work evangelist and started mandatory 8:00 AM meetings as some kind of inspirational team pep club.
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This was a company where people start rolling in after 9:30 or so. That stopped within three months and he left shortly afterward. They went out of business by the end of the next quarter.
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Savings_Knowledge465 Never mention "boundaries" in your interactions with this kind of manager. This type already knows what they are doing and believe me he is doing it on purpose, not because there is not another time. Establish your
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boundaries subtly, take your lunch before or after lunch time but dont tell him openly. This guy is pushing your buttons to label you as difficult. This is normally a starting point of a much deeper culture change in the team/company. You can never know what is the agenda behind this.
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kls8479 Can't you take your lunch another time? If you're on your normal lunch, is it also the lunch time for others?
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