Top Dollar
GSA
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Archived Being denied a 15 minute break?
- Thread starter Top Dollar
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Right.
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It's not right, but they don't care when it comes to gsa breaks. Heck, I've been called off my lunch before. I think it speaks volumes to what we do when an ETL can't even handle it for 15 or 30 minutes.
Reshop Ninja
Softlines Dps
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- Sep 23, 2014
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We had a GSA who did this kind of crap all the damn time. He would cross out a cashier's break on the break out but wouldn't actually give them their break. The asshole even did this with people's lunch breaks which resulted in me making a mad dash to the time clock on more than one occasion. It was because of this that he got his butt fired and got me in the habit of finding out when my breaks are scheduled back when I was a cashier.
thatcashierdude
Former Service Desk Ninja
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- Sep 15, 2014
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Yup. I don't care what position I'm in, I'll never work on my break or intentionally miss one. Don't care if the work isn't done. That's what more hours and overtime are for. Besides when you're on break target isn't covered by insurance so if you fuck up bad enough to need that not only could you be sued personally but target could also be sued (if someone has a better grasp of this please correct me).
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That's complicated.
It's against company practice but most states don't have rules on the 15s.
Some do which is why Spot has the rules and most have the 30/45 minute break laws.
So if you get screwed out of your 15 you can saw it's against the rules but in most places you can't say it's illegal.
Bullselle
Softy
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- Nov 17, 2014
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Technically, your ETL has used a loophole by getting you to "voluntarily" work through your breaks. From what I read, he never said "Don't take a break", but just never mentioned that you were supposed to take one.
If you ask your ETL for a break and he doesn't want to give it to you, the most he can say without breaking the rules is "take it later". So he might ask you to wait another 30 minutes. You can agree to this, but then when 30 minutes pass, get on your walkie and announce the time and that you're taking your break.
Your ETL can't ask you to work if you already started your break. He knew that, and that's why he was pretending he didn't know if your break was over or not. If you put your foot down and straight out say: "Are you asking me to work on my break?" he has no choice but to back down. The ETLs can't afford to have it on record that they asked you to work on your break.
Next time, don't cut your breaks short. Target is not going to benefit from having you work an extra 5 minutes.
If you ask your ETL for a break and he doesn't want to give it to you, the most he can say without breaking the rules is "take it later". So he might ask you to wait another 30 minutes. You can agree to this, but then when 30 minutes pass, get on your walkie and announce the time and that you're taking your break.
Your ETL can't ask you to work if you already started your break. He knew that, and that's why he was pretending he didn't know if your break was over or not. If you put your foot down and straight out say: "Are you asking me to work on my break?" he has no choice but to back down. The ETLs can't afford to have it on record that they asked you to work on your break.
Next time, don't cut your breaks short. Target is not going to benefit from having you work an extra 5 minutes.
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There is no loophole, if someone really didn't like you, you can be terminated for not taking your 15s. You can't voluntarily not take them, though so many people do.
Bullselle
Softy
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What I mean by loophole is that the ETL would not be at fault in that situation, because he didn't ask you to not take your break.
BadWolf4531
Fulfillment Expert
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- Jul 12, 2013
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If you are actually being "denied" your breaks, go to HR or call Integrity. That practice will change pretty quickly. As others have said, your ETL cannot actually tell you not to take your required 15. They can, however, "forget" to remind you or ask you to push it back a little later.
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I realize it's important to have breaks within your scheduled work. But, if I don't get a break during that time, I'd just sit in the break room for that time before I clocked out. And yeah, I know you're not supposed to do this, but you're supposed to get your breaks in a timely manner too. Tit for tat.
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my state we can't voluntarily give up 15's. shit happens, and gstl/sr tl's doing their lod shifts don't get seconds. we can say this is fucked up and fight it and likely get removed.. or just go with it.
Possibly.
It isn't in my state.
No one over the age of 18 is required to be given breaks OR lunches in my state. They're completely optional. Target policy is still to give them to us here, but there's no legal reason they have to.
In my state they are then supposed to pay you for the 15min as in extra 15min pay.
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- Jul 19, 2014
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I don't know if this is a Canadian thing or not but they are super strict with this whole 2-4-6 thing. 15 minutes 2 hours into your shift, 30 minutes 4 hours in, 15 minutes 5 hours in, etc. If you go more than 5 hours w/o a 30 minute break you go on compliance and are asked why you didn't take your break. And don't let anyone know that you're working through a 15 minute break, even if you have a ton of work to do. They say that they want us to enjoy our time off but I'm pretty sure they're just trying to avoid lawsuits from denying anyone a break 
15s are more of an idea than a concrete thing. I rarely take more than 1 even on shifts that should get 2-3, and usually it is just 5-10 minutes long.
Don't know about culture in all stores, but those who are liked and respected in my store rarely take breaks and always keep them short. Technically you may be entitled to it, but there are times where the "cost" is just too great to inconvenience the rest of the team. Ideally this would never be an issue, but practically it seems to happen pretty often.
Don't know about culture in all stores, but those who are liked and respected in my store rarely take breaks and always keep them short. Technically you may be entitled to it, but there are times where the "cost" is just too great to inconvenience the rest of the team. Ideally this would never be an issue, but practically it seems to happen pretty often.
Then don't wonder why workoads get bigger. You cheat and work through breaks, you get it done but you screwed yourself doing that. Now its expected that you work miracles.
This whole breaks are an idea thing reeks of corporate greed.
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