Work issue, lunch breaks, would you be annoyed?

Caporegime
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And there we go, from cheesyboy's link":

In order for something to be deemed as a custom and practice it has to be a long-standing occurrence that is continuously applied, acknowledged and expected by all.


Of course this is all rather irrelevant, Cheesyboy's custom and practice stuff doesn't apply here, the OP hasn't actually been told he can't do what he's doing but rather he's been advised that it is potentially making him look bad.
 
Soldato
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So it’s the application of common sense between two reasonable parties to keep both happy pretty much, no?

How does it override anything?
e.g. If your contract specifies lunch is an hour to be taken between 1 and 2, but the practical application is that everyone takes lunch any time between 12 and 3, and it's been the company culture for years, then the Custom and Practice will override the written contract.
 
Caporegime
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e.g. If your contract specifies lunch is an hour to be taken between 1 and 2, but the practical application is that everyone takes lunch any time between 12 and 3, and it's been the company culture for years, then the Custom and Practice will override the written contract.


Lol.
 
Soldato
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Of course this is all rather irrelevant, Cheesyboy's custom and practice stuff doesn't apply here, the OP hasn't actually been told he can't do what he's doing but rather he's been advised that it is potentially making him look bad.
So my boss has now said I can't go out that late, and I need to go somewhere between 12-2.30pm
 
Caporegime
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@cheesyboy it helps if you read the rest of the thread:
EDIT:My boss here is a sensible guy. He didn't tell me I couldn't do it, just made it very clear that it reflects badly on me (and him) if something comes up and I'm out mid-afternoon. He hasn't forced me to do anything, we just had an adult conversation about it and he pushed his view that going out between 12-2.30pm would be much better for everyone. ;)
 
Permabanned
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lol ain't gonna happen. Morning person I am not!
Serious question - why? It's not like I tag my 1hr lunch onto the end of my day and just essentially leave early. I was coming back at 4pm and doing a boatload of work with LA until 6.30pm. I actually have a call at 7.30pm tonight, again first world problems. It's an easygoing office environment, nobody bats an eyelid if people rock up at 10am as long as they kinda make up the hours and don't take the mick. We're not clock-watchers, so I was surprised it came up.

Well two reasons, firstly eating and working is not a thing, you can't do both. Sitting next to somebody who just attempted this impossible feat. (and she ended up surfing the net for 10 minutes while ignoring calls).

Based on the first post it sounds like lunch is 60-90 minutes, I don't know maybe it's flexible? Or maybe I'm just misreading it.

EDIT: One more thing, most companies have fixed times for lunch, normally 12:00 - 14:00. 16:00 is pushing it. If you're working late then you're probably entitled to a break, not a late lunch imo, just my opinion though, for what it's worth
 
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Soldato
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You're paid to work. Work means being there when people come to you for stuff. You're not at work = Fired.
If not start-finish times, your weekly hours presumably will be contractual, something like 37.5/week? I'd be totalling those up and counting how much flexi you owed me, as well. Take any owing off your pay, then fired.
Perhaps even see if you checked/clocked in and out each time, thus making you accountable in the event of a fire or other emergency. Not accounted for = Risk = Fired.

Can you not go swimming after, thus also avoiding the evening rush hour?

And back in the real world some of us are no longer employed by Victorian work houses.
 
Caporegime
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You're paid to work. Work means being there when people come to you for stuff. You're not at work = Fired.
[...] = fired
[...] = fired

Do you not have a lunch break... what's with the trigger happy firing stuff?

This thread does seem quite illuminating re: people's ideas of working practices, we've got everything from extreme bootlicker type posts through to someone harping on about established practice and employment laws.

Conversely the OP seems to be in a job where he is treated like an adult and a straightforward conversation can be had with his boss about this.
 
Soldato
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I think I know the answer to this. So for about 3-4 years now I've worked at my place in central London which has a gym/swimming pool over the road. I go swimming 2-3 times a week in my lunch break which is lovely. I tend to eat lunch around 12, then go out 2.30-3pm and back by 3.30-4pm. Obviously you can't eat your lunch then nip out for a swim straight after :o

We had a couple of incidents in the last year or so, on a new project where execs needed my assistance and they couldn't get hold of me. So my boss has now said I can't go out that late, and I need to go somewhere between 12-2.30pm as that's a more acceptable lunch time.

To be honest, it's highly annoying. As I'm in central London the pool is much quieter after 2pm, all the times I've been at lunchtime/after work at peak times it's almost unbearable. To the point where after 3-4 years solid swimming I'm thinking it's probably not worth it.

So, man up and deal with it I guess? First world problems? :(

So you take a break to eat lunch AND take an hour to go swimming?
 
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Could you not go for a swim after work? Take your 1 hour lunch then. I wouldn't pea the bosses off if you don't chances are you will have a red x on your back.

I been in this same situation, they needed staff in core hours not anything else.
 
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