Archived Lunch Breaks?

[robert16]

I was just hired about 2 weeks ago, and last week I was scheduled to close and I was scheduled a 4 hour shift 6-10pm. so at about 9:30 the LOD asked if i could stay till 10:45, I agreed. So i was closing the Food Ave. and I had so much stuff to complete dishes, make the pizza dough bread stick dough, clean and sanitize all the machines. I just did not have enough time and by the time I realized I went way past my 5th and stayed till11:30, so i ran clocked and my LOD talked and said "you went over your 5th without lunch now this only a warning so make sure it doesn't happen again." So the next day the STL called me in and I got written up because Its policy I didn't take a lunch. She warned If It happens again they have to fire me.


So my question is how does the lunch breaks is it clock out before the 5th hour or exactly at the 5th hour? Im still new and still adjusting to everything so any help would be appreciated.

 

[Hardlinesmaster]

Depend on your store & state. Best time to take lunch is around 5 hour mark. In my state, I have 5 hours, 59 minutes to take a lunch. After the chat from your tl or etl comes forth.

 

[insiteful1]

It sounds like you are a 5 hour state, therefore you have to be punched for lunch by 4 hours and 59 minutes. However, it is recommended that you do not wait that long to start making your way to the clock. Whenever you are in a hurry to get to the clock, is always the time that a guest stops you and asks 47 jillion questions. Give yourself 15 minutes to get to the clock. At the 15 minute mark the LOD's LPDA starts buzzing, letting them know that you are due for a lunch. I always try to be to lunch before the LOD has to remind me. They have enough busy work, they don't need to be reminding everyone of their lunches.

 

[Bullseye Flow TM]

We're a 5 hour store also. They want us to take it at 4 1/2 hours. Generally I wait till 4 3/4 hour. The extra 15 minutes can help if you're approached by a guest as insightful suggested. I don't recall ANYONE ever getting fired for missing their lunch. The thing to remember is what time you clocked in. If it was 7:58am, be sure and start your lunch no later than 12:57pm.

 

[SouthernThunder]

As others have said, it depends on what state you are in.

Here the law is 6 hours but most stores aim for 5 hours so they can be sure of being in compliance.

It's something that has frustrated the hell out of me over the years because there have been plenty of times that I would have preferred to not take a lunch, get done and thus leave earlier, but Big Brother knows what's best for me.

 

[SouthernThunder]

One time, I was working a truck with a guy who had the same attitude as me and so we clocked out for lunch, continued working the truck, "forgot" to clock back in from lunch and then had them adjust our time.

I'm fairly certain we would have been fired had they known what we did.

 

[commiecorvus]

One time, I was working a truck with a guy who had the same attitude as me and so we clocked out for lunch, continued working the truck, "forgot" to clock back in from lunch and then had them adjust our time.

I'm fairly certain we would have been fired had they known what we did.

Why yes, yes you would.

 

[Pfreshbackroomguy]

If it helps, use your cell phones alarm and set it to 4 hours and 45 minutes into your shift to remind you to go to lunch

 

[insiteful1]

If it helps, use your cell phones alarm and set it to 4 hours and 45 minutes into your shift to remind you to go to lunch

It's not brand to carry your cell phone. I wouldn't recommend that technique.

 

[TMOfTheCentury]

It's not brand to carry your cell phone. I wouldn't recommend that technique.

If it just to check alarm I don't think any one would really care. NO one at my store really leave cell phones in the lockers. Heck, even one my ETL even pick up calls while on duty.

 

[SouthernThunder]

LOL.

In today's world, the whole no cellphones thing is just fighting a loosing battle and one that isn't worth fighting.

One night, I was working at a grocery store.

Another assistant manager and I were there overnight, doing the once a month reset of the end caps.

He was pulling product off of the shelves, while talking on his phone.

The manager happened by and yelled at him, "get to work, Kevin!"

I said, he is working.

The manager replied, "no he's not, he's talking on the phone."

I take the point, but at the same time, it's a case of, pick your battles and that one isn't worth fighting.

 

[pzychopopgroove]

Wish I Knew the compliance rules when i worked a 16 hour shift last september only taking one lunch lol. (i worked a 12 hour teh very next weekend and i made godd*mn sure i took a seccond lunch! i miss that 8-8 grocery shift.... loved it)

 

[SouthernThunder]

Generally speaking....

And it CAN vary from state to state, but in general...

They have to give you a 15 minute break.

After somewhere around 5 or 6 hours, they have to either give you a lunch or send you home.

You come back from lunch, work a few more hours and they have to either give you another 15 minute or cut you loose.

If you worked a 16 hour shift, then you should have gotten at least two and I would say three 15 minute breaks and two lunch breaks.

 

[Squid7085]

I work in a state where there is not a single Workplace break law, No requirement for 15's no requirement for Unpaid Lunches. They could work you 24 hours without a break. Thankfully Target has it's own standards. If any of you think the laws are a bit excessive, be happy it is required. I know people who work at local places that will get a 12 hour shift with MAYBE a 30 minute unpaid break. With that said, I skip my 15's at times, and I don't mind. However it is very nice to know that I have the option to take it, and I often do. I'm actually very surprised that Spot has kept these mandated breaks even in a state that they don't have to.

With that said, the first shift I had where I needed a lunch, about 2 weeks after I was hired, I missed it as well. I think there needs to be some better training in regards to Compliance, it was mentioned to me, but never really drilled in. My trainer should have told me, on that day, exactly what I needed to do. Frankly I didn't understand it at the time. I had come from one of those local companies that didn't give breaks, so it was all new to me.

 

[SouthernThunder]

My background is mostly in convenience stores.

A 15 minute break?

What's that?

An hour for lunch?

Surely you jest?

16 hours with only one lunch?

I've worked 16 hours with no break/lunch because I was the only person there because my relief was sick, his fish died, his car wouldn't start, etc.

I'm not crazy about that system but I also don't like the state telling me I have to do something.

If they want to say that I'm entitled to take a lunch, then okay, thank you.

It's the being TOLD that I HAVE to take a lunch, when I would prefer to finish what I'm doing and go home that I take issue with.

 

[pzychopopgroove]

Generally speaking....

And it CAN vary from state to state, but in general...

They have to give you a 15 minute break.

After somewhere around 5 or 6 hours, they have to either give you a lunch or send you home.

You come back from lunch, work a few more hours and they have to either give you another 15 minute or cut you loose.

If you worked a 16 hour shift, then you should have gotten at least two and I would say three 15 minute breaks and two lunch breaks.

I took the breaks, but it was the lunch I didn't take. It only was found out by the LOD and the closing team members when one of them asked how long I had been there. Asked if i took a second lunch so I said no. The guy got on the walkie and called the LOD to 4 and said "hey (my name) has been here since open and he didnt take a lunch should he just go home?" I got kicked out at midnight... I felt bad about having to leave, because the rest of the team was there for another couple hours.

 

[Razorback]

I use a $10 Timex Ironman to keep up with that kind of stuff. Stopwatch, timer, and 3 alarms.

Our store is very strict about having cellphones on the floor while on the clock.

 

[V 42]

Here the law is 6 hours but most stores aim for 5 hours

Same here, our store wants us to take lunch during our fourth hour, so we make sure we don't hit compliance.

 

[FlowMonkey]

If it helps, use your cell phones alarm and set it to 4 hours and 45 minutes into your shift to remind you to go to lunch

It's not brand to carry your cell phone. I wouldn't recommend that technique.

I had to laugh at the latest RED magazine on the cover advertised the STL showing a guest the Target app on his Iphone when were not supposed to have our phones on the floor, true enough hes an STL and always on the clock but still not a great way to set the example

 

[salesfloor10]

If it helps, use your cell phones alarm and set it to 4 hours and 45 minutes into your shift to remind you to go to lunch

It's not brand to carry your cell phone. I wouldn't recommend that technique.

I had to laugh at the latest RED magazine on the cover advertised the STL showing a guest the Target app on his Iphone when were not supposed to have our phones on the floor, true enough hes an STL and always on the clock but still not a great way to set the example

Sometimes (cough, most of the time, cough) using the target app on my phone is more effective in helping a guest find something (and is quicker!) I've noticed it's a lot quicker and easier to see if something is online only from the app on my phone too.

I allow my team to use their phones to help guests but I do keep an eye on whether or not they're abusing the privilege (texting, social networking).

 

[DMNDZ bruhh]

Im on my phone constantly, listening to music my entire shift, one ear phone in and the walkie headset in the other. They tell us to use are phones to help out guests and to use the target wifi for it...lmao, i use the wifi for pandora radio.

But as for hitting your 5th, dont do it again, you've been told the next time they'll fire you, so make it point to clock out 15 til. Theres is also a way to cheat it, if you notice that you went over your 5th, dont clock out for lunch, just go straight to lunch for 45 minutes or 30 whatever state your in, and then End Meal at the appropriate time, then later do a punch correction, and just say you forgot to punch out. It works, but dont make it a habbit of doing that or they will catch on!

 

[xerothermical]

In my store we have the 5 hr mark, so we must take a lunch before hitting our 5th. We are told to go 30 minutes before but we always call out or own breaks and lunch, just gotta watch out not to hit compliance.

 

[Target Annie]

Im on my phone constantly, listening to music my entire shift, one ear phone in and the walkie headset in the other. They tell us to use are phones to help out guests and to use the target wifi for it...lmao, i use the wifi for pandora radio.

But as for hitting your 5th, dont do it again, you've been told the next time they'll fire you, so make it point to clock out 15 til. Theres is also a way to cheat it, if you notice that you went over your 5th, dont clock out for lunch, just go straight to lunch for 45 minutes or 30 whatever state your in, and then End Meal at the appropriate time, then later do a punch correction, and just say you forgot to punch out. It works, but dont make it a habbit of doing that or they will catch on!

Dude, the first part, smh. Childish.
Second part, about the lunch, timeclock fraud.

Congratulations on cheating.

 

[eleuthreophile]

I had to laugh at the latest RED magazine on the cover advertised the STL showing a guest the Target app on his Iphone when were not supposed to have our phones on the floor, true enough hes an STL and always on the clock but still not a great way to set the example

I brought this up last night with a Sr TL at my store trying to convince them to let us do the same thing, and it turns out that STLs have Target-provided iPhones. That is why he could do that and why they could put it in RED. Also, I believe the LOD is required to have their cell phone on them in case of emergency.

 

[DMNDZ bruhh]

Im on my phone constantly, listening to music my entire shift, one ear phone in and the walkie headset in the other. They tell us to use are phones to help out guests and to use the target wifi for it...lmao, i use the wifi for pandora radio.

But as for hitting your 5th, dont do it again, you've been told the next time they'll fire you, so make it point to clock out 15 til. Theres is also a way to cheat it, if you notice that you went over your 5th, dont clock out for lunch, just go straight to lunch for 45 minutes or 30 whatever state your in, and then End Meal at the appropriate time, then later do a punch correction, and just say you forgot to punch out. It works, but dont make it a habbit of doing that or they will catch on!

Dude, the first part, smh. Childish.
Second part, about the lunch, timeclock fraud.

Congratulations on cheating.

The first part, everyone including my STL knows i do this, so it dosent matter.

The second part, theres no point in losing an already low paying job over something stupid, TMs dont make it to the time clock in time because they either get caught up in something like helping a guest or something, and they end up getting in trouble or fired over it. worth it? i think not.