NO LUNCH

Specialties Emergency

Published

Dealing with "no lunch" alot. Unit manager says it's an ER, sorry. There is no system to allow for lunch like flex or float RN. Unit manager just blows us off. I know some days are too busy, but between call backs and STD/culture call backs never get lunch. Starting to **** everyone off our "lunch" is last on list of "things to do". any ideas or thoughts?

Specializes in Pediatric/Adolescent, Med-Surg.
I can count on my hand how many times Iget no lunch. Actually sitting down and eating real food would be nice. We're not allowed to report no lunch.

Um I don't think they are legally allowed to tell you not to report no lunch.

Um I don't think they are legally allowed to tell you not to report no lunch.

Sorry, I'll clarify. We are told we HAVE to take a lunch, we can't report no lunch. But they know as well as I and from the postings, many other places, there's just about no way to actually remove yourself off the ER floor for 30 minutes and 2 15's or whatever you should be doing in 12 hours.

The patients just keep on a coming, in every section. There's no real way to cover assignments.

Specializes in Pedi.

If you do not get a lunch break and you are an hourly employee, the law requires that your employer compensate you for this time. Several hospitals in my city/state have lost multimillion dollar lawsuits over this:

http://www.modernhealthcare.com/article/20101122/MAGAZINE/101119945

Management has no idea what REAL $$$ this could cost them. ER personnel have gone to the Dep't of Labor w/just that complaint. Result: feds and state came in, fined the hospital a LOT of money; people were compensated for their missed breaks, and the managers found ways to get people out on breaks.

This actually happened @ a local hospital. You (and the people you work w/) have to willing to file a grievance, and do some homework w/a lawyer re: labor laws and such, but you have a very legitimate complaint, and, if you want it to change, you can do something about it.

Best of Luck!

Agreed. It does violate labor laws in certain states.

Specializes in Critical Care, ED, Cath lab, CTPAC,Trauma.

While we cannot offer legal advice here at AN......there are laws that govern breaks during working hours. Those laws do not talk about the provision of an actual lunch......they do talk about the provision of breaks. Those federal laws are also modified by state laws that very state to state. It will also depend on if your lunch is paid or unpaid before any "laws are broken. I will also be the voice of caution about fighting the "right" fight.....for administrations do not "like" dissonance. The right path isn't always an easy one to travel....pick your battles wisely, especially in this job climate.

Unfortunately this is al too true for many departments where nurses work. Is it right? NO. Is it common? unfortunately yes.....sigh

Sorry, I'll clarify. We are told we HAVE to take a lunch, we can't report no lunch. But they know as well as I and from the postings, many other places, there's just about no way to actually remove yourself off the ER floor for 30 minutes and 2 15's or whatever you should be doing in 12 hours.

The patients just keep on a coming, in every section. There's no real way to cover assignments.

UPenn recently settled a major class action suit with ER workers on this very issue. They were telling everyone they had to take a break and making it the staff person's fault if they couldn't get a lunch, thereby seriously discouraging "no lunch" claims, and yet not providing staffing or support to actually take lunch breaks. They paid out back lunches over a period of several years to everyone in the department, which added up to a decent amount of cash depending on how long you'd been there. There's more support to take lunches now and if you can't you don't get grief in the same way for claiming "no lunch."

Just saying. It's common, it's illegal, but organized pushback from employees does actually make a difference. *Edited to add* But that's the key- it is not something you can fight on your own. You want to be a face in the crowd, not a ringleader.

Specializes in ER.

If you want management to care about your lunch, I would suggest you start punching no lunch. When it starts to cost them, they start to care. I have seen this first hand on my unit. At first, they acted like it was a point of pride not to eat while working but when people started demanding pay for the half hour, all the sudden a floater is available and they MAKE you go take a break.

Specializes in ED only.

We never get lunch or breaks - you grab a bite whenever you can. BUT, no lunch break is taken out of our 12 hour shift - we get paid for the entire 12 hours - even if we would happen to be able to take a break. I think I would be filling out the "no lunch" paperwork every single shift because they must pay you if you continue working during meal times.

I think I might just start swiping no lunch and see how long it takes for them to say something to me again. It was verbalized to me once. We'll see

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