That said, when I worked in a big retail store in 2004, I did once get a minor chewing-out for NOT taking my break because I was so busy that day that I worked the whole nine hours.
There are a lot of strict laws about breaks and the like that have been passed over the years. Every state is variable but the majority of them are something close to "if you work 5+ hours, you legally must take a 30 minute lunch break" with some amount of paid coffee breaks also required to be offered.
I know this because back in the day I would prefer to just work when I was at work so I could get my shit done and leave, and I would be forced under threat of termination to get off the clock for a lunch in the middle of my shit.
It was infuriating, but its the law and even more infuriatingly a law that we need to prevent businesses from working people ridiculously.
That explains why the guy above me was so adamant.
It was a Wal-Mart, by the way--the old standard model was about to close and the new Super (which is now the standard model) was opening up in town, so they were on a hiring spree.
God, those cheers they made us do in orientation and the break room. So corny. Ugh.
Major corporations are the most strict about it because they try to "one size" the policy within the company to hit every state's regulation so they don't have to have a shit ton on the books for every different states. Double so if they also have to comply with a union too.
I'm thankful I never had to work a Walmart, my retail store days were bad enough without all the humiliation rituals they put those boys through.
There are a lot of strict laws about breaks and the like that have been passed over the years. Every state is variable but the majority of them are something close to "if you work 5+ hours, you legally must take a 30 minute lunch break" with some amount of paid coffee breaks also required to be offered.
I know this because back in the day I would prefer to just work when I was at work so I could get my shit done and leave, and I would be forced under threat of termination to get off the clock for a lunch in the middle of my shit.
It was infuriating, but its the law and even more infuriatingly a law that we need to prevent businesses from working people ridiculously.
That explains why the guy above me was so adamant.
It was a Wal-Mart, by the way--the old standard model was about to close and the new Super (which is now the standard model) was opening up in town, so they were on a hiring spree.
God, those cheers they made us do in orientation and the break room. So corny. Ugh.
Major corporations are the most strict about it because they try to "one size" the policy within the company to hit every state's regulation so they don't have to have a shit ton on the books for every different states. Double so if they also have to comply with a union too.
I'm thankful I never had to work a Walmart, my retail store days were bad enough without all the humiliation rituals they put those boys through.