Mandatory Break Time - ReVisited

nekhismom · Aug 20, 2003

Most people I know do not get paid for working through breaks. Some do not get paid for working through lunches, and others DEMAND that they are paid for working through lunches. It just depends.

agent · Aug 20, 2003

So I guess if you're not a spineless jellyfish you will get a break and a lunch, and if you work through it you will get paid..

Nurse Ratched, RN · Aug 20, 2003

If I have to work through lunch at the hospital, I write "no lunch" on my time card and get paid for it. I'm ok with this - I will not work for free but I understand that the nature of our work doesn't always allow us to carve out a nice half hour block.

I never work through lunch at the clinic. We have coverage and we take our break when it's scheduled to be taken. Management there insists we do so to be better able mentally to handle our patients. What a concept! :)

finallyRN · Aug 20, 2003

We do get paid if we work through lunch. I have only put "no lunch"on my time card once. I did eat for about 2 minutes at about 4 in the morning. If I get to sit down for at least 15 minutes i will not get paid for the break.

fergus51 · Aug 20, 2003

I either get my breaks or get paid for them. I am not looking into martyrdom.

tgibson3770 · Aug 20, 2003

This will vary from employer to employer. Best advice is to discuss this with your employer.

purplemania, BSN, RN · Aug 20, 2003

Nurses at our facility are paid for working through lunch and breaks. They have to document on a special form as the clock only checks you in and out. Overtime is really discouraged. Mandatory overtime is defined in TX as working more than what is scheduled, so if you are scheduled for 4 12/hr shifts that is not overtime according to the state, but our facility pays for over 40 hrs to keep people semi-content.

NicuGal, MSN, RN · Aug 20, 2003

We have to explain ourselves if we don't take a lunch...whatever! Hello, it was busy and I didn't get a lunch...isn't that enough?

RN-PA, RN · Aug 20, 2003

Yes, we get paid for the 30 minutes if we miss dinner. There's a code on the time clock that we punch in if it was missed. We're encouraged to write on a card why we missed dinner or stay over time, not as a punitive thing, but (supposedly) to use as "ammo" by our managers to eventually get us more help from administration. (Yuh. Right. :rolleyes: )

I never have time to take a break other than dinner-- If I even have time for that. If I *DO* manage to cram in a sandwich and drink something in 10 to 15 minutes, I usually put in for "no dinner", because it was *NOT* in any way a relaxing break at all-- especially if I was standing in the Med room while eating or charting at the same time, on top of working double-speed all shift.

healingtouchRN · Aug 20, 2003

I get paid. :confused: