Tea Breaks

les potter
Member - 23 posts

How can it be a tea break, if there is not a break?

J Bray
Member - 11 posts

You could have problems implementing this as it has been done for 16 years so is part of their psychological contract even though it's probably not in their actual contract. How about trying to meet the manager half way and asking people to cut it down to 5 minutes? Ideally you need to coerce the employees into agreeing a compromise in order for it to work.

James Fairchild
Member - 210 posts

In general there is no entitlement to breaks apart from as defined by the Working Time Regulations.

However, as already said, by custom and practice this has become part of their (implied) terms and conditions, and changing them could be seen to require consultation.

Whilst I am sure you can get this change through, is it really worth demotivating and upsetting your staff over 10 minutes? If only one person looked for a job elsewhere, imagine what the recruitment and training fees would cost!

Richard Johns
Member - 15 posts

UK Law takes precedance over the way staff do thier jobs and any implied conditions for working in the same way for 16 years. If an employee works for a period of 6 hours, then he/she is entitled to minimum 20 mins break, away from the workstation if possible. The only way this can be avoided is if the collective workforce, not the manager/owner, decide on something different. Of course breaks do not have to be paid breaks.

James Fairchild
Member - 210 posts

Richard,

My assumption was that this 10 minute tea-break would be in addition to a lunch hour/lunch 20 minutes as required by WTR. Perhaps Mary can clarify?

Anne McAllister
Member - 115 posts

I thnk the current WTR of a 20 minute break for 6hrs of work is ridiculous and even part time staff should have a small break,not a meal break necessarily but just 10 or 15 minutes to relax and recharge their batteries.
There is always someone willing to abuse their breaks and that makes it harder for everyone else.
Personally Im just grateful for a cuppa anytime.

Anonymous
Member - 28 posts

I do 2 4 hour shifts a week as a stock replenisher for one of the high street shops. I am not entitled to any breaks at all, however, I am allowed and do take a bottle of water into the stockroom and leave it on the table next to the PC (always use sports top bottles and keep at end of table away from PC). The stockroom manager doesn't object to this and also allows bags of sweets as well for me to nibble on when transferring data from hand held device used for picking items and the PC. Give and take is the main thing here.

James Fairchild
Member - 210 posts

Catherine,

I believe Health & Safety legislation entitles one to drink water when working, and I believe that the provision of a tap or equivalent is mandatory.

Under employment law, I think any employer who tried to argue that one didn't have an implied to drink in the working day would run into trouble (I hope).

Kevin Brown
Member - 73 posts

Under the Workplace Health & Safety Regs not only are employers required to provide a source of drinking water (i.e. it must be up to potable standards) but also something to drink out of. Some enlightened employers provide water coolers with disposable cups. Some even provide Point of Use water boilers so their staff can get a hot drink on demand 24/7.
The last time I remember actually having a break with my mid-morning cuppa was in 1983, but I seem to recall the breaks always turned into work discussions anyway. Strangely enough, they were seen by management as a way of sharing Best Practice and encouraging greater productivity.
Of course, if the breaks are linked with working with DSE equipment it's essential that enough breaks or mini-breaks are planned to avoid fatigue and the onset of Upper Limb Disorders. If DSE is involved you really need to check if breaks are mandatory under the DSE regs BUT don't forget they're only breaks away from DSE activity. If there are other tasks that could be done then so be it ....

Anonymous
Member - 28 posts

Summer before last I was caught in the staff room getting a drink of water, while I was rinsing out the cup I'd used a colleauge said hello to me and asked how I was and I replied. My boss told me that 'going to the toilet and getting drinks is a priviledge and not a right'. I try not to go to the toilet during my shift if I am on my own because if I missed a page from the floor, I'd be asked why I didn't reply to it and it has happened. During the 2006-2007 academic year, I did an NVQ2 in Business and Administration. Since finishing it, I've been looking for office work but there's not much about where I live. I'm also limited due to not having a car. Believe me if my boss tries to make it awkward for me during IVF, I will take appropriate action.

Anonymous
Member - 28 posts

What's DSE? The only source of drinking water in my workplace is the tap in the staff room (which isn't very cold and tap water in my area isn't great anyway, my husband can't drink it as it upsets his stomach) or take bottle into the stockroom.

Kevin Brown
Member - 73 posts

DSE is the acronym for Display Screen Equipment i.e. computer workstations.
As far as drinking water is concerned Regulation 22 of the Workplace (Health , Safety & Welfare) Regulations 1992 states that "an adequate supply of wholesome drinking water shall be provided for all persons at work in the workplace ............ readily accessible at suitable places".
Regulation 20 covers sanitary conveniences and, again, the word "readily" is used. My view is that a reasonable employer would allow his employees to be the best judge as to when access is most apt. A comfortable employee is a happy, productive employee. A dehydrated (at one end) and damp (at t'other) is probably not.
p.s. grey hair is often a sign of maturity, which is a sign of age, on which grounds one mustn't discriminate.

Anonymous
Member - 28 posts

Believe me, she is skating on thin ice. She's made a few comments to me a few weeks ago (see thread about time off for fertility treatment for details).